The Woman in Me Part 1: Red Fantasy
by Spunky0ne
Summary: After Renji is injured in Hueco Mundo, he wakes up and is literally 'beside himself.' Spunky's first gender bender story! Story 100. Byakuya/Fem Renji and Bya/Ren, mpreg.
1. Worries

**The Woman in Me Part 1: Red Fantasy**

**By Spunky0ne**

**(Here it is, folks! Spunky's very first gender-bender story! Thanks so much to Airenya for suggesting I give this a try, and to the fabulous Walkure Leaud, who worked with me to come up with a very enjoyable romantic, humorous (with some dramatic tension) storyline. It does include mpreg, just to let you know. And...the most awesome news...a sequel will appear as a second part to this story. So, fasten your seatbelts and hang on. We're trying something new!)**

**Chapter 1: Worries**

Renji heard a muffled sneeze from across the room and looked up briefly at his handsome, raven-haired captain. He opened his mouth to ask if the noble was all right, but was interrupted by another sneeze, a throat clearing cough and a short sniffle. He shook his head and stood, smiling at Byakuya as he sat back and rubbed his paler than usual hands over his face and sneezed again.

"Okay," the redhead said, knowing it was useless to tell the noble what to do, "I know you're not about to listen to me and get out of here. So, what will it be? Tea? Soup? Both? I have your favorite tea and some hot and sour soup that I brought back from the noodle shop earlier...or I can make some chicken soup if you prefer. What's it going to be, Captain?"

Byakuya placed his cool hands on his flushed cheeks to cool them and looked back at his vice captain with what Renji found to be an endearing blend of weariness and gratitude.

_Things sure have changed since we got back from Hueco Mundo, _thought Renji, _And I hate to say it, but Captain is just cute sometimes, now that he lets down his guard more around me. If the guy wasn't noble...ah well, that's not his fault. And it's an old prejudice of mine that really doesn't have to do with him, anyway..._

"Do I have to choose?" asked Byakuya, derailing Renji's train of thought and making him mentally backpedal to remember what he had asked.

"Oh," he said, grinning good-naturedly, "No, I can manage both. Which soup? Hot and sour or chicken?"

"The hot and sour is fine," said the noble, "Though it seems silly wasting something that tempting on a person who cannot taste it."

"Eh," muttered the redhead, "I'm not so concerned about you tasting it as feeling better, Captain. We're supposed to leave for that relief mission to the shinigami base in Hueco Mundo in the morning, and the last thing we need is for you to be sneezing and losing control of your petals while we're fighting."

"I never lost control of my petals," Byakuya said, frowning, "The few that escaped didn't do any damage and..."

"Yeah, I know," said Renji, shaking his head, "I'll just...go get that soup. If you won't go and get into bed, you should at least take a warm shower and get some soothing steam into your lungs so you can breathe better."

"Arigato for the advice...ah...ah...Abarai."

He sneezed again and put a hand to his head, groaning uncomfortably. Renji sighed, shook his head resignedly, and left to make the soup. Byakuya watched him leave, then tried to address the work in front of him. But he found himself distracted by the chill that had settled in his veins and the constant feeling of his eyes watering, his throat aching dully, and an urge to enter another sneezing fit. He briefly considered going back to the manor and turning himself over to his personal healer and attendants, but abandoned the idea as it would have meant he would have to walk through the rain and wind...and already suffering from chills and fever, the very thought made him shiver.

Pots and pans clanked from down the hallway, where Renji worked at preparing the soup and tea, and the sound echoed painfully in Byakuya's head until he could stand it no longer. Not wanting to use his voice, for fear of the pain it would send rocketing through his head, he abandoned the office and took refuge in his quarters, slipping out of his uniform and into a more comfortable yukata. He looked longingly at the bed, but wanted more to be clean before lying down for the night, so he walked into the bathroom and turned on the shower.

He sighed in relief as the rising steam soothed his throat and chest, and the hot water chased away the chill inside. Half asleep on his feet, he leaned against the tiled wall of the shower and closed his eyes, loathe to move from the place as long as the hot water didn't cool. His head spun uncomfortably, and he felt his legs weaken, so he lowered himself to the shower floor and continued to lean against the wall with his eyes closed. His mind drifted and seemed to disappear into the heat and steam, and moments later, he lost consciousness altogether and sank the rest of the way to the shower floor.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Captain?" Renji called from outside the bathroom door, "Hey, ah, you've been in there awhile. You okay?"

The redhead felt an uncomfortable quiver inside at the silence he received in answer. He listened at the door for a few minutes, then decided that it would be better to enter and incite his captain's ire, than to leave things as they were. He set the tray he was carrying on the nightstand, and returned to the bathroom door. Trying the handle, yielded the information that Byakuya hadn't locked the door. Renji sighed in relief, as he really hadn't wanted to add to the trouble he might already be getting into, by also breaking down the door.

He opened the door silently and peeked around the edge, then let out an exclamation of dismay at seeing that his captain had collapsed onto the shower floor. He abandoned all other concern, and rushed to the shower, opened the door and turned off the water. Byakuya remained still on the floor, the soft rise and fall of his breathing, the only reassurance that he was still alive.

"Captain!" Renji said, ignoring the fact that his uniform was getting soaked as he dropped to his knees and leaned over the unconscious noble.

Byakuya stirred softly and groaned miserably. Renji gave a sigh of relief and summoned a hell butterfly.

"This is Vice Captain Abarai. Captain Kuchiki has become ill and lost consciousness. Please send a medical team at once to the sixth division headquarters...Captain's quarters."

He sent the hell butterfly off, then grabbed a towel and hastily dried the noble off, then dressed him in a light yukata he found in the closet. He lifted Byakuya carefully, smiling at how the noble moaned and nuzzled into his shoulder.

"You are totally out of it..." he chuckled, "Let's get you into bed, Captain."

He laid the senseless noble in his bed, then pulled a sheet and light blanket over him, and prepared a cool, wet cloth to lay on his forehead. Byakuya sighed softly and opened his eyes into slits to gaze up at the person who had relieved the uncomfortable warmth.

"R-renji?" he moaned, reaching up to touch the redhead's face.

"Yeah, Captain," said Renji, chuckling again, "You're going to be fine, now. The healers are on their way. just rest, okay?"

He watched closely as Byakuya sighed again and drifted off.

_Damn, he's adorable like this...really cute. I swear if he wasn't noble, I'd..._

But he stopped himself as he remembered the other noble who had caught his attention that way.

_He was cute too...at first. Cute, charming as hell, damned sexy...and one of the best examples of why peasants like me should just stick to our own._

The man's nasty, parting comments rang in Renji's ears, making his stomach and head ache with the memory.

_"You think you're hurting me by walking out on me, Renji?"_

_"I think I'm just doing what I have to do. I have spent the last five years listening to you, looking up to you, dressing how you wanted me to, meeting people you said I should. And all that time, I thought we were getting somewhere...that after some time, we would move things forward. But tonight just proved that you never had any intention of moving anywhere."_

_He caught his breath in surprise as the handsome noble began to laugh._

_"Well, Abarai," he said mockingly, "It took you long enough to figure it out."_

_"What?" Renji said, his fists clenching, "What's that supposed to mean?"_

_"Huh, you really are as completely empty-headed as you look, aren't you."_

_"Bastard!" Renji hissed, his reiatsu glowing red around him._

_"You want to know what I was thinking when I chose you?" asked the noble, "I was thinking that you were young, sexy and stupid enough to fall in love with someone way out of your league. You're a good fuck, Renji. I've never had an ass like yours. But it's not like the Rukongai isn't full of guys like you...poor, struggling, desperate, lonely guys who would lie down and part their legs for anyone rich and pretty who says, 'I love you.'"_

_"Damn you, Masato!"_

_"Where are you going? Back to a shack in the Rukongai? To the eleventh barracks? Lovely options you have, ne?"_

_"Shut the hell up!" Renji yelled, "Sleeping in a fucking mudhole next to a filthy pig would be a step up from sleeping with you!"_

_He reeled as the noble backhanded him across the cheek, and his attendants caught Renji's hands and held him back as he tried to retaliate. He doubled over and dropped to his knees as the other man's fist slammed into his midsection. The noble's booted foot connected with his face and blood splattered onto the floor beneath him. The noble grabbed his hair and dragged his head back, glaring down into Renji's shattered brown eyes._

_"You are nothing, Renji. And you will always be nothing. Get out. And if you change your mind and decide to come crawling back here, begging for forgiveness...forget it. I'm done with you!"_

Byakuya's fingers touched Renji's face and the redhead flinched uncomfortably.

"Y-you look t-troubled," the noble said, his eyes blinking open and meeting the redhead's for a moment, "Are you...all right?"

Renji was grateful when Byakuya's words faded into nonsense again and his eyes glazed over.

"You're asking if I'm all right?" he laughed softly, "That's just cute, Captain."

He looked up as Hanatarou tapped on the open door.

"Come on in," Renji said, "I got him in bed and tried to cool him down a little, but he still has a high fever and he's really out of it. He collapsed in the shower and hasn't been really lucid since."

"Hmmm," said the healer, leaning over the noble and examining him briefly, "He seems to have the flu that's been going through the squads. It's a pretty virulent one...really knocks the ones who get it for a loop. I'm afraid that Captain Kuchiki will need to be hospitalized for the night. He seems to be coping, but we don't want his fluids and reiatsu to become depleted."

"Oh," groaned Byakuya, coming awake again, "P-please don't take me to that p-place! I abhore that place..."

"Aww, come on, Captain," Renji said, trying to lift him, "If Hanatarou says that you should..."

"Please, Renji," the noble moaned, his hands reaching up to take hold of the redhead's shoulders, "I will...drink buckets of t-tea and eat all of the soup you want, j-just don't let them put me in that awful place..."

Renji couldn't stifle an amused laugh.

"It's not that bad, Captain, really!"

"I won't be able to s-sleep. It's...the...ever since Hisana..."

The smile faded from Renji's lips at the mention of the noble's late wife. He bit his lip gently, then looked up at Hanatarou.

"You heard the man," he said calmly, "He doesn't want to go."

"B-but...!"

"So, you'll just have to stay with him tonight."

"But...R-renji!"

"I'll stay up and help. And I can get help from the manor if we need it. I'm sure he'll be more comfortable in his own bed, ne? And we can coax him into drinking enough tea and juice to keep him hydrated. Come on, Hanatarou...Captain wants to stay here. What do you say? Can you help us out?"

"W-well, I guess we can't force him to go to the fourth division if he doesn't want to, but I can't stay. There are just too many sick people. So..."

"Fine," said the redhead, "Then, I'll stay with him and you can just check in a couple of times tonight, okay?"

The healer looked as though he wanted to object, but he thought the better of it and nodded.

"All right. I will come back and check on him later. But if he gets any worse, we'll have to transfer him to the healing center. This is a really bad strain of flu and it can get serious."

"I'll make sure he drinks fluids and gets lots of rest," Renji promised, settling at the noble's side.

"Thanks Renji," said the healer gratefully, "We're all really swamped tonight!"

"All right. Get out of here. I've got this," Renji assured him.

"Are you sure?" Hanatarou asked, looking worried, "If not, I..."

"Go on," Renji urged him, "I can take care of him tonight."

"Okay. Just call for me if he gets worse."

"I will," Renji said, nodding.

He watched as Hanatarou left, then looked down at the dozing noble. Byakuya's eyes opened again and slowly focused on him.

"Renji?"

"Hmmm?"

"Would you mind handing me that tea?" Byakuya asked.

"It's probably cold by now. I can go and make some fresh and warm up that soup," the redhead offered.

"N-no," said the noble, "I think I want it to be cool. I feel terribly hot."

"You are hot, Captain," Renji said, handing him the teacup.

Byakuya drank deeply, emptying the cup, then handing it back to the redhead.

"Oh...oh thank you, Renji," Byakuya moaned.

"No problem, Captain," Renji said, settling in the chair next to the bed and turning off the light.

"Renji?"

"Hmmm?"

"I don't think you should remain in that chair all night," Byakuya mumbled, "If I am still ill, you will have to lead the relief mission to Hueco Mundo, and I do not want you to be overtired."

"I'll be fine."

"Just get in on the other side of the bed," said the noble.

"What?" said the redhead, laughing, "Are you still delirious, Captain? You'd kill me if you woke up and found me in your bed!"

"Well...I do not have an attendant's recess here, so you will have to just sleep on the other side of the bed. There is enough space. Go ahead."

Renji let out a soft breath, considering. It was true that he was tired as hell after working all day and that Byakuya's bed looked awfully comfortable. And the noble would likely sleep soundly, once he fell asleep.

"Take a yukata from the closet and lie down, Renji. I won't have you tiring yourself out, looking after me all night."

"All right...all right, you win," said Renji, raising his hands in mock surrender, "But don't think this means we're dating or anything. I'm not looking to be in a relationship right now."

"That is good, because neither am I," sighed Byakuya, drifting off again.

Renji rose and walked to the closet, where he picked out a dark red yukata, then returned to the bed. He watched for a moment, to make sure that Byakuya slept comfortably, then slipped in next to him.

"Good night, Captain," chuckled Renji.

"Mnmmsnsnmmmmm," Byakuya mumbled.

Renji laughed softly, then curled up around the soft pillows and dropped off to sleep.


	2. Beside Myself

**Chapter 2: Beside Myself**

**(Thanks so much for everyone reading and reviewing! Thanks to unsigned readers, D-Chan, chibishueiri, GJ, Ren-renji, and EL!)**

It was a rare thing for Renji to wake in the early hours of the morning, and even more so, he thought, for Byakuya Kuchiki to _not_ be awake before sunrise. But given that the noble seemed to still be running a very high fever, the redhead was grateful that he was also sleeping quite comfortably. And he had to admit (though only to himself) that it had been a sweet surprise and a guilty pleasure to wake to find his usually reserved and proper senior officer sprawled beautifully across his chest, one slender hand placed provocatively beneath the partially opened front of his yukata and his handsome face buried beneath his vice captain's chin. Caught between that rare vision of his lovely captain with all of his defenses completely collapsed, the wonderful, light scent of sakura and the warm feel of their bodies pressing close to each other, he couldn't make himself pull away. He lingered as long as possible that way until it was nearing time to leave for Hueco Mundo.

Renji sent a gentle throb of kido through the noble's body to make sure he wouldn't wake, then carefully extracted himself from the senseless man's arms and turned back to adjust the pillows and blankets around him. He breathed a longing sigh, looking back regretfully and trying to stop his mind from going back in time.

_Captain isn't like that guy...not at all. I have to stop equating one with the other in my head._

But the truth was that there had been a time when Byakuya had spoken to him in much the same mocking tone as that other man. The content and intent of the words had been different, but had caused the same devastating effect on the redhead's vulnerable heart.

_"Let me tell you about the difference between you and me. It's like the story of the monkey trying to capture the moon. However close he thinks he is to the moon, it is still just the reflection of the moon in the middle of the lake. No matter how he struggles to capture the moon, he inevitably sinks to the bottom of the lake at the end to no avail. Your fangs will never be able to reach me...ever."_

Renji sighed softly, continuing to gaze longingly down at the sleeping noble.

_When I think of how cold he was...in refusing to help Rukia, in cutting me down with his words and his blade, I can't help but think of him as being like Masato. But Masato never showed me real respect. He put on a five year show of loving and honoring me, but it was all to get me to go along with him because he liked having sex with me. Huh...me and a few others. But even after Captain crushed my pride and left me lying in a pool of my own blood...he..._

His breath caught as he remembered the gentle scent of sakura falling over his senses and the soft brush of that soft, fine scarf coming to rest on his collapsed body.

_Captain is not that man. I know it. It's just that..._

He reached down and touched the sleeping man's soft hair, then sat down next to him and washed his sweating face with a cool, wet cloth. Byakuya's eyes opened and looked up at him, but couldn't seem to focus properly.

"R-renji..." he sighed sleepily, "Is it...?"

"You're in no shape to go anywhere," the redhead said, shaking his head, "Go back to sleep. I've got this. Hanatarou's coming to check on you in a bit, and Rikichi is going to take care of you while I'm gone."

"Where are you going?" the noble asked in a soft, confused whisper.

"Don't worry about it," he said off-handedly, "I'll be back before you know it. Rest Captain. You look like hell warmed over."

Byakuya blinked and mumbled something unintelligible and closed his eyes again. Renji lingered until he was sure that the noble was asleep, then left the room, changed his clothes, and gathered his gear for the mission.

"Rikichi," he said, catching the youth's attention as he worked at the reports that had piled up on the redhead's desk.

"Hai," Rikichi answered, looking up at him.

"I want you to make sure the Captain isn't disturbed. He's sleeping right now, but Hanatarou will be coming to check on him in a while. Keep him comfortable and try to get him to drink some tea and eat if he can."

"I will, sir," the youth promised.

"And Rikichi..."

"Sir?"

"Thanks."

"N-no problem, Vice Captain Abarai."

Renji took his leave of Rikichi and flash stepped out into the training grounds. He gathered the relief team and led them out of the sixth division and through the Seireitei. They proceeded quickly to the guarded crossover point into Hueco Mundo and passed through. The screeches of hollows and sounds of battle greeted them as they touched down on the dark sands within the shinigami base.

Looks like Captain Zaraki and his men could use a breather," Renji said to the men who followed him, "Third and fifth seat, get to the top of that rise on the left. Fourth and sixth seats, complete it on the right. Kido specialists on the hillsides. Start your incantations while the others raise the shield."

"Hey, Red!" yelled Zaraki, "What're you doing? Choreographing a ballet over there? Don't overthink things like your damned, anal retentive boss! Get your ass down here and show some balls by shedding some blood down here with us! I taught you better than that!"

"Now Captain," said Renji, "You don't want to get me in trouble with Captain Kuchiki, ne? Give us a moment to get set and we'll be kicking ass before you know it!"

"Suit yourself, then," laughed Zaraki, rolling his eyes and turning away.

"Huh," Renji huffed good naturedly as the upper seats set a shield over the fighters and the kido specialists sent a hail of red and blue fire over the heads of the already engaged fighters and into the scores of writhing and screeching hollows that were moving to join their brethren.

The shield repelled the incoming ceros from an approaching group of menos grande that had taken aim on the less protected shinigamis on the flanks. A second volley of kido blasts rose into the air and brought down groups of flighted hollows making strafing runs through the engaged fighters.

"Much better," Renji said approvingly, watching as Captain Zaraki slashed his way through a group of weaker hollows, insulting them all of the way, "You guys hold that shield and keep things in order up here. I'm going down there to..."

He broke off as a flying hollow suddenly swept over the top of the hill he stood on, knocked one of the shield holders down, then spun into Renji, taking the redhead off his feet, claws digging into the stunned shinigami's shihakushou and tearing at the skin beneath. Renji was dragged into the air and swung away, carried by a heavy blast of the hollow's reiatsu and thrown down on the sand, a good distance away from the fighting.

"Damn it!" he yelled, tumbling ass over teakettle and sliding to a less than graceful stop, facedown in the sand.

He spit sand out of his mouth and sputtered angrily, climbing to his feet and brushing the sand off his clothes, then swearing as it merely clung to the blood that trickled out of the wounds the hollow had left.

"Bastard..." he muttered, turning to flash step back to the battle zone.

He felt something crunch under his feet and looked down.

_Bones...a hell of a lot of them! Now, why do I not like the looks of that?_

He swallowed hard, knowing then, that the flighted hollow had tossed him in that direction so that he would land here and...

He barely missed being caught as something rose up from the sand and slashed at him. He struck at it with his blade, but caught his breath in surprise as the beast separated and became two.

"Holy..."

Renji gripped his blade and did the only thing he could think of.

"Ban kai! Hihio Zabimaru!" he yelled.

Power exploded around him, forcing the two hollows back as the skeletal snake rose up and curled around Renji. He launched himself onto the snake and fired it back across the sand towards the battlefield. He was relieved to see that the worst of the fighting appeared to be over and Zaraki was watching and cleaning his bloody sword as the lower seats finished off the last of the enemies.

"Where'd you run off to?" Zaraki asked, "You find something fun out there?"

"Eh, nothing that interesting," the redhead said, shaking his head, "Just some stupid hollow that split in two when I hit it. I figured it might keep splitting or some shit like that, and I didn't want to leave the kids here alone for too long, you know."

"Hmmm," said Zaraki, "You sure it wasn't fun? Looks like it got you as you left."

Renji looked down and swore as he caught sight of the nasty slash down his arm and along his side.

"Son of a..." he complained, swaying, "That damned freaky...I'm going back there to kill that thing!"

"Nah, leave it," Zaraki said, "I'll save it to play with later. You get your pansy ass back to the base and get yourself cleaned up. Don't want your ice prince captain on my ass because I sent his vice captain back damaged."

Renji laughed good naturedly and turned back towards the base. He was only steps away when an odd glow rose up around his body and he collapsed instantly.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Ugh..." groaned Renji, reaching up to rub his face with his hands, "Wh-what the hell happened?"

He inhaled sharply as he found himself looking up at a pale, but somewhat recovered Byakuya.

"C-captain?" he mused, "I thought that you were sick...and in the Seireitei."

"We are in the Seireitei," Byakuya said in a tired sounding voice, "You were evacuated from Hueco Mundo last night and brought back here to the healing center."

"Oh..." Renji groaned, "I didn't think I was hurt all that bad."

"Your injuries turned out to be minor, but you were found unconscious, so Captain Unohana had you transported back here for a full scan. There was hollow reiatsu around your wounds, but they removed it and healed you. You will be fine after a good night's sleep. I'll have my attendant return to your apartment and stay with you for the night..."

"That's okay, Captain. I'll be fine. I just want to go back to the division office and..."

"You will not be able to do that," Byakuya said softly.

It was then that Renji realized that Byakuya was dressed in a white yukata and wearing a robe and slippers.

"Y-you...wait...what? Captain? Did something happen at the division?" Renji stammered.

He was taken aback at the light blush that rose on the noble's cheeks.

"It seems that I was delirious and dreaming about battling an Arrancar."

Renji burst into laughter, giving himself an instant headache, but enjoying himself anyway.

"Y-you lost control of your petals, ne?" he chuckled, "Is anything left of the building?"

"I am glad you find this so amusing," Byakuya said dryly, "If Rikichi had not reacted so swiftly and shielded the barracks, there could have been many injured."

"Is Rikichi okay?" Renji asked, sitting up quickly.

"Rikichi was not hurt. He was skilled enough to shield himself as well."

"So what's the damage?"

"The office, captain's quarters and yours were completely destroyed and all of the officers' rooms were damaged."

Renji forced down the grin that tried to engulf his face and gave his captain a pat on the hand.

"Well, Captain, we both complained that our rooms were in need of renovation."

"Yes...I remember," Byakuya said, brushing a few hairs out of his eyes, "But I did not expect it should be done so suddenly. Our clothes were completely shredded. I hope you have another uniform at home, as the ones here were destroyed, and the one you were wearing on your mission was badly torn."

"I have a couple of extras," the redhead assured him.

They stopped talking and looked up as the door opened and Vice Captain Kotetsu entered the room.

"Oh good!" she exclaimed, "You're awake, Vice Captain Abarai!"

She turned her head to look at the pale noble, sitting in the chair by the bed.

"You see, Captain Kuchiki, he is fine. You needn't have sat up all night with him like that. You are recovering from the flu and your own injuries from when your..."

"I am fine," Byakuya said, cutting her off, "I will be returning to the manor as soon as my attendant arrives."

"B-but Captain Kuchiki, you should really..."

"Did you say that Renji will be discharged now?"

"Um...I was...I will, I mean, that's what I was going to say. He seems to be fine, but he should rest and eat properly."

Byakuya met Renji's eyes questioningly.

"Are you certain that you do not want Torio to come and stay with you tonight?" he asked.

"Eh, no, Captain. Really, I feel fine. I just got a good night's sleep, which is more than you can say, ne? I promise, I will pick up a big order of my favorite chicken and noodles at the noodle shop and I'll go right to sleep after that. And I'll see you at work tomorrow."

"You most certainly will not," Byakuya said with finality, "The division office will be under construction and I will be working from home. We have been placed on home detail for the next several weeks anyway. So take the next few days off and recover."

"And," said Isane, handing him his discharge, "You will need to come back in a few days to get the results of your deep scan."

"All right," laughed the redhead, taking the discharge order and climbing out of the bed.

He smiled at Byakuya as the noble rose, swaying slightly. Isane caught his arm to steady him.

"You see," she said reprovingly, "Captain Unohana wants you to stay another day. You are much better, but we are working to get your systems back in balance. You were very ill."

"Hey," Renji said, meeting Byakuya's sleepy eyes, "Uh...thanks...for coming to sit with me last night."

Byakuya blinked slowly.

"I had little else to do here," he sighed, "But I am relieved you are feeling better."

"Th-thanks, Captain."

"You are welcome, Renji. Now, go and take care of yourself. I don't wish to end up on home duty for very long. I might die of boredom."

Renji took his leave of the noble, feeling touched at Byakuya's concern over even what had turned out to be a pretty minor injury. He followed through on his promise to pick up the chicken and noodles, then returned home and ate. Afterwards, he changed into a comfortable yukata and laid down in his bed. He didn't intend to fall asleep right away, but turned on the television. A few minute's later, he was snoring soundly. He slept soundly through the rest of the day and most of the night, waking only when an odd light rose up in the room.

"What the...?" he mumbled wearily.

He fell asleep again before it could register where the light came from. He remained entrenched in odd dreams for the rest of the night, emerging well into the next morning, sitting up and yawning.

As he stretched, he felt an odd weight on his chest and looked down to find a naked woman sprawled across his body.

And froze, staring...

_Wh...what is...?_

He stared at the long red hair and the pattern of tattoos that looked like his.

And...

_Are those...?_

He touched one large, soft bud on her chest experimentally, and inhaled sharply at finding it was real.

"H-holy...fucking hell!" he gasped, "Wh-what is this?"

He started to say something, but stopped as the bed moved and the woman sat up next to him. Renji felt the oddest sensation of being in both bodies at once and staring at himself as both a man and a woman.

Neither said a word for one long moment, then the naked man and woman loosed long, perfectly harmonic shrieks of terror.


	3. Two Sides of a Coin

**Chapter 3: Two Sides of a Coin**

"Wh-what the HELL?" gasped Renji, staring, "Who the fuck are you? What are you doing in my bed? In my apartment? Is this some kind of joke? An illusion? What?"

He reached out to touch her again to make sure she was real, but as he moved, the girl scowled, and one surprisingly strong hand swatted his away, while the other slapped him hard across the face.

"How DARE you touch me, you goddamned BEAST!" she yelled, her red-brown eyes blazing, "I'll beat the living shit out of you if you EVER touch me again!"

"Whoa!" Renji yelped as the girl launched herself at him, and the two tumbled off the bed, crashing down into a heap of entangled arms and legs on the floor.

"I'll teach you to sneak into MY bed and put your hands on ME!" the girl howled, pummeling him with her fists.

"OW! Hey, will you quit that already?" Renji objected loudly, trying to grab her hands as she landed several, surprisingly solid blows to his body, "What's the matter with you? YOUR apartment? I don't think so! I've lived in this place for years. Ask anyone!"

"No," she went on, struggling as he finally captured her hands and wrapped his arms tightly around her, "I have lived in this apartment and IN THAT BODY! How did you DO this to me?"

"Okay, YOU are just completely nuts or something!" Renji snapped, "I think I would know my body and my apartment. Just quit the freaking games and tell me what the HELL is going on here? Who set this up?"

Renji made a pained, guttural sound as the girl freed an elbow and drove it into his midsection, then delivered a stunning uppercut to his chin and broke free of him. He sat on the floor, staring in dismay as she aimed a kick at him that set him flying across the room and crashing into the wall. His breath exploded out of him in a howl of pain, and he collapsed, watching with widened eyes as the girl approached and stopped in front of him.

"You give up now?" she panted, rubbing the knuckles of one hand, "Are you gonna tell me who the FUCK you really are?"

Renji brushed the blood away from the corner of his mouth and stared up at the girl with saucer-wide eyes, lost for words. He studied the tall, slender frame, the long, tumbled red hair, red-brown eyes, and the perfect dance of black tattoos that looked exactly like his.

"Ah...?" he muttered dazedly, looking at her helplessly, "Please tell me this is some kinda joke. I swear, I'll laugh it off, even though it's scary as shit. Really..."

The girl moved closer, still looking ready to further pummel him, but studying him with horrified fascination.

"I was going to say the same thing to you," she said, looking as terrified as he felt.

They stared at each other wordlessly, both reeling as they felt the oddest sense of being in two places at once. Slowly, Renji collected himself.

"Hey...ah...ah...? Do you have a name?" he asked cautiously.

The girl crossed her arms and scowled at him.

"Renji," she said firmly.

Renji looked at her skeptically.

"A _girl_ named Renji?" he queried, frowning back at her.

"I _wasn't _a girl when I went to bed last night," she insisted, "I came home from the fourth division last night, collapsed, and when I woke up, you were in my body and I was a girl, okay?"

"B-but..._I_ was at the fourth division yesterday," objected Renji, "Were you watching me? Following me? If you are really me, then...what's my favorite food?"

"Chicken and noodles from Miko's place, down the street," the girl said, "My best friend is Rukia Kuchiki. Her brother is my captain."

"But _anybody_ could find out that stuff," complained Renji, "Tell me something that no one knows...something I've kept secret from _everyone_."

The girl went quiet, still looking at him through the fallen strands of red hair that hung down into her eyes. She bit her lip gently and her eyes grew tormented. Renji frowned.

"You don't know, do you?" he said, an edge of sarcasm in his voice, "You don't know because you aren't..."

"I am...secretly in love with my captain," she confessed softly, "I...have dreams about him that I don't dare tell anyone."

Renji's eyes narrowed, but he said nothing.

"I...would say something, but...he's noble, and I know from experience that nobles and peasants are better off not getting involved. It's too likely to blow up in their faces. Besides, Captain isn't interested in me at all. We respect each other and we work really well together now, but the guy has no clue at all how I feel about him...how I dream about him...how hard it is to work with him day after day, thinking about..."

She trailed off, her eyes filling with tears as she dropped onto her knees in front of Renji.

"Okay, I give," she said, bursting into tears, "Just tell me this is a joke, okay? It's not funny anymore. Just get me the hell out of this girl's body and give me my life back. It was hard enough being me as a guy. I don't know the first fucking thing about being a girl! I have a headache, I can't stop crying, even though I want to, my boobs hurt, my hands hurt from hitting you, and I feel even worse about my captain not giving me the time of day than I did before. Something is really wrong with me..."

Renji stared at her incredulously, his mind careening back to the day before.

_Holy shit,_ he mused, thinking.

_"Where'd you run off to?" Zaraki asked, "You find something fun out there?"_

_"Eh, nothing that interesting," the redhead said, shaking his head, "Just some stupid hollow that split in two when I hit it. I figured it might keep splitting or some shit like that, and I didn't want to leave the kids here alone for too long, you know."_

_"Hmmm," said Zaraki, "You sure it wasn't fun? Looks like it got you as you left."_

_Renji looked down and swore as he caught sight of the nasty slash down his arm and along his side._

"Holy shit," Renji breathed, "Could...could _that_ be it?"

"That thing hit me?" the girl whispered, "And I..."

"Split?" the two said together.

They sat, staring at each other and saying nothing as the possibility sank in.

"Oh my god..." they said together, "What do I do now?"

They jumped in surprise as the doorbell sounded.

"Shit..." they said, looking around and each grabbing a yukata.

"Look," said Renji to the girl, "Everyone will expect me to be like this, okay? So...just..."

He broke off as Byakuya's voice sounded outside the door.

"Abarai?"

"Oh, just fucking great!" Renji groaned, "Go and...I don't know...just...go in there!"

The girl disappeared into the kitchen, and Renji went to the door and opened it.

"Hey," he said wearily, "What's up, Captain. It's early."

"Hmmm," mused Byakuya, frowning, "It is actually noon. I sent Torio to check on you earlier, but there was no answer."

"Oh...sorry, I was...sleeping."

"Are you all right?" asked the noble, looking concerned, "Should I take you back to the fourth division. You look pale."

"Oh, I'm okay, Captain. I'm just..."

"I brought some ginger tea, thinking it might be soothing for you," he said, stepping inside, "but I'll need to warm it."

"Ah!" Renji exclaimed, as the noble turned towards the kitchen and spotted the yukata-clad girl.

_Shit!_

Byakuya and the girl exchanged curious glances, and the noble's eyes widened.

"Gomen nasai," Byakuya said softly, "I wasn't aware that you had...company, Renji. Who is this?"

The girl stared at Byakuya dazedly, unable to speak as the dark gray eyes met hers and seemed to look down inside her. She felt an odd twinge in her belly, and her heart began to race.

"I am R-ren," the girl said, unable to take her eyes off Byakuya's, "I...?"

"Wren?" Byakuya repeated, still in that soft, curious tone, "Like the bird?"

"N-no...I mean, yes," the girl stammered, "I...I'm..."

"She's my sister," Renji said suddenly, "My...twin sister."

"You have a sister?" the noble said, frowning, "You and Rukia never mentioned that."

"Ah..." said Renji, flushing and thinking quickly, "She, uh...just...showed up last night. Late...last night. I let her spend the night."

"I only just found out that Renji was here," the girl explained, "I was told only recently that I had a brother. I was searching for him and I heard about Renji Abarai. I came to see if we could actually be brother and sister."

"You could very well be," said Byakuya, not taking his eyes off of the girl, "Your reiatsu feels identical to his."

"It does?" Renji and the girl said together.

Inexplicably, Byakuya smiled.

"Interesting," Byakuya said, looking at them, then running his eyes around the apartment for a moment.

"Renji, it seems that you do not have sufficient space here for your guest," the noble said, keeping his eyes on the girl, "The two of you are welcome to come and stay at Kuchiki Manor while you reconnect."

"Ah...um..." Renji stammered.

"Thank you, Captain Kuchiki," said Wren, smiling charmingly.

_What the fuck are you DOING!_ mouthed Renji, blanching.

"But we couldn't impose," she went on, fastening her eyes on Byakuya's and smiling.

"I assure you," Byakuya said, still smiling at her, "You would not be imposing. And you would have privacy when you wished, gardens to walk in, whatever food you would like prepared. It is no trouble."

"You are very kind, Captain Kuchiki," said Wren, staring as Byakuya captured her hand and brought it to his lips.

"Call me Byakuya," he said quietly.

Renji's jaw dropped.

_Call me Byakuya? What the hell? Is he...? Shit, he can't be._

_SHIT!_

"Ah, um, Captain," Renji said, trying to move in between the two, "Look, we don't want you to..."

"We'd love to come and stay with you," said Wren, "Thank you, Byakuya."

"Wha...?" Renji said helplessly.

"Very well," Byakuya said, looking pleased, "I will have Torio come for your things."

"I don't have anything," said Wren.

She caught herself and blinked, thinking quickly.

"I...lived in the Rukongai...Inuzuri, but...there was a fire and I lost my possessions. Renji was going to take me out to replace them."

Byakuya shook his head briefly, stopping the girl in her tracks.

"I will have my staff provide whatever you need. Come, we can talk more at the manor."

"B-but...ah, hey, Captain, we...we, uh, need to have a word before. Can we meet you there?"

"Certainly," Byakuya said, handing Renji the bag containing the ginger tea, "I will see you when you arrive at the manor."

He captured Wren's hand and kissed it again, making the girl blush sweetly.

"Nice to meet you...Byakuya," she said, smiling dreamily.

They watched as Byakuya left, Wren staring in a nearly delirious haze and Renji trying desperately to figure out how things had gone so wrong.

"What the _hell_ were you thinking!" Renji exclaimed, looking frantic, "Do you even realize what you've done? We have to go to Kuchiki Manor, now! You idiot! We're never going to fool all of those people. And Rukia! What about her?"

"Well," said Wren, "I know everything that you do. I mean, if what you were thinking earlier about that hollow..."

"WHAT?" squawked Renji, "What I _thought_? You mean you...?"

He paused for a moment, concentrating, then glared at her.

"Oh my god, you are _not_ having sexual fantasies about Captain!"

"Why not?" asked the girl, "He likes me. I'm like you, but a girl. You _saw_ him. He couldn't take his eyes off of me."

"Okay, fine, but..._you_ are just part of me, ne? We just got...split by that hollow, right?"

"So?"

"So...you aren't going to be around long...or, at least, not like that. The first thing tomorrow, I am going to Kisuke and I am getting him to fix us, so that I'm one person again!"

"But...?"

"No, we are going to..."

"But, I love him!" Wren objected, "You know that, because I'm just like you!"

"No," said Renji, looking troubled, "You and I are the same person. Somehow, that hollow split me in two. And that's got to have consequences. I don't know. Maybe it is an odd attack that will hurt or kill me. We _have_ to go and see Kisuke! You do get that, ne?"

Renji paused and sighed, his eyes downcast.

"And there's another reason that you shouldn't encourage this thing with Captain," he went on.

Wren looked into Renji's mind and paled.

"Oh..." she gasped softly, realizing.

"Wren, I know what you feel for him. I do, because I have been fighting that feeling for a really long time. But Captain has already loved someone, and he lost her. You could be setting him up for a really big fall. I don't want him...or you...me...to get hurt."

Wren swallowed hard, large tears forming in her eyes.

"But...we..."

Renji let out a soft breath and captured the hand that Byakuya had kissed.

"Look, we'll go to Kuchiki Manor, because we already accepted. But you can't encourage Captain. We could all get really hurt."

The girl took several soft, sobbing breaths and composed herself, looking back at Renji with hurt in her angry red-brown eyes.

"You can make what excuses you want, but you and I both know why you don't want me to be involved with him," she said accusingly, "But you _saw_ how he looked at me. You_ know_ he is attracted to me...not you!"

"But that's the thing, see," said Renji, "You and I are the same person. All it means is that the reason that Captain hasn't taken an interest in me is because I am male. And that means that when Kisuke straightens me out and puts you back inside me, where you belong, Byakuya is not going to understand. He won't stay with us, once this is over. He's heterosexual. Sorry. You don't know _how_ sorry I am."

A tear rolled down the girl's cheek and she sniffed softly.

"I hate you," she said, her voice choked with tears, "I don't _want_ to be part of you!"

"Yeah, well, sometimes I don't like myself that much either," Renji sighed.

He shook his head and dried the girl's tears.

"Well, cheer up. You get to spend a few days at Kuchiki Manor with him while Kisuke sorts this out."

"What if he can't _sort it out_?" asked Wren, "What if we are always like this? What are we going to do?"

"I don't know," Renji admitted, "Just...try not to be too obvious, all right? People will think we're both nuts if we let on about this!"

"Okay," said Wren, gathering herself, "Okay, I can do this. I can just go and be nice."

"And don't flirt with him," Renji warned her.

"Flirt?" she queried, blinking.

"Yeah," the redhead said, narrowing his eyes, "Don't look at him funny, or for too long, or in the wrong way. Don't encourage him, or seem too interested, but don't be rude."

"Okay, I get it," Wren said, frowning, "Can we go?"

"As long as you promise you won't do anything to get us caught," Renji said sternly.

"I'm not the one who's going to get us caught, stupid. You are! You are the one who keeps freaking out."

"Well, you keep getting all weepy and emotional."

"You'd better shut up, or I will have to kick your ass again."

"Huh," chuckled Renji, "Why don't you say that in front of Captain."

"_Byakuya_ likes me," Wren said haughtily.

"Shut up!"

"You shut up!"

"Isn't that the same thing?" Renji asked.

"Not anymore," Wren said, making the redhead scowl.


	4. Exploration

**Chapter 4: Exploration**

"This will be your room, miss," said Matsuko, opening the door to the guest room and showing Renji and Wren inside.

The two followed her in and were struck dumb as they encountered a stunning room filled with lovely dark wood furniture, a large dressing area and private bath, and a closet full of well made yukatas and ladies kimonos.

"Shit," Renji said under his breath.

Wren smiled a bit smugly.

"I _told_ you he liked me," she whispered back.

"Shut up."

They smiled and chatted cordially for a moment, then Matsuko led Renji off to his room, leaving Wren studying the large choice of kimonos and trying to pick one to wear to dinner. She chose several and walked into the dressing area to try them on. As she slipped out of the overly large yukata that Renji had given her to wear, she paused to look at her female body in the mirror.

"Damn," she whispered, blinking and staring at the long, lovely curves, her pert, round bottom and shapely breasts.

_I always kind of wondered what it would be like to be a girl...Hmmm..._

She looked around the room.

_You never know when one of those servants might come in. M-maybe I need to go somewhere a little more private to have a closer look..._

Her eye fell on the open bathroom.

"Hmmm..."

XXXXXXXXXX

Renji was surprised to find, upon entering his room, that not only did he have a room of equal beauty and quality as his feminine half, his closet also held several yukatas and a stunning burgundy colored kimono with a delicate black pattern around the edges.

"If you need anything, Master Abarai," said Matsuko, smiling cordially, "just inform me or any of the attendants and we will help you."

"Thanks, Matsuko," he said, gratefully, "But the only thing I need for now is for you to call me Renji. Master Abarai makes me sound too...I don't know, _not me_."

"Of course, Master Renji," Matsuko chuckled.

She walked out of the room, closing the door behind her and leaving Renji staring at the beautiful, expensive kimono he had been told was to wear to dinner.

_I should probably clean up first._

He walked into the bathroom and disrobed, then stepped into the shower and let out a low whistle.

"Damn," he muttered softly, "Does a guy really need like six showerheads? How many people bathe in here? There's room for at least ten people in here!"

He turned on the water and let it warm, then stepped in and aimed the shower heads so that the water seemed to rain down on nearly every part of him. He found a massage button and tested different settings, then settled on one and relaxed beneath the wonderful, hot, pounding spray. He closed his eyes and sighed languidly.

"Gods," he whispered, "How in the hell am I going to ever go back to that crappy cold shower at my apartment? I shouldn't have done this. I'll be spoiled for sure..."

The liquid soap he measured out smelled heavenly, and it left his skin softer than he ever remembered it being. The shampoo left his hair silken and with not nearly so many tangles as usual. He rinsed himself clean and stood under the water, wondering what his female counterpart was up to. As he closed his eyes and relaxed under the water, he began to feel an odd sensation between his thighs.

Renji's eyes opened and he looked down at himself, sure that something had touched him in an extremely private area. He waited a moment, then relaxed again, thinking that he must have been imagining things.

A moment later, he jumped and stared in surprise as something touched his nipples questioningly.

"What the...?" he said, blinking, "What's going on?"

His heart started to pound, and he felt a jolt in his loins.

"H-huh?" he gasped, looking down at himself.

Renji's face flushed and he made another helpless sound of surprise as something that felt like soft, slender fingers slid down the sides of his face then sharp nails teased the skin of his throat. And rather than abating, the sensation of someone rubbing his private areas increased and was augmented by an even more strange and unidentifiable sensation somewhere down further.

"Oh..." he groaned, his heart racing from a mixture of adrenaline and unexpected arousal. "Oh, shit, what the hell is _wrong_ with me?"

He closed his eyes against the continued sensations and gave a very un-Renji-like squawk of surprise as an image rose up in his mind.

_He stood in a shower much like the one he was actually in, except for the lighter colors. His back rested lightly against the cool tiled wall and his head was tilted back, his red hair hanging in long, dribbling strands in disarray about his shoulders. One of his hands...no, not one of his, but a more slender one, was busily exploring..._

"What the fuck?" Renji gasped, looking down at himself, "What's going on here?"

He gasped and panted harder, and heard Wren's voice in his mind. The sound was soft, at first, but rose steadily as the feeling of marauding hands brought the stunned shinigami closer and closer to orgasm.

He felt like screaming for help, but didn't dare. Instead, he tightened his jaw against the intense sensations as his pleasure began to peak.

"O-oh!" he moaned, quivering as he was overtaken and hot seed spilled out and ran down his body.

He stood for several minutes afterward, staring down at himself and wondering what could have happened.

_It was like I was in her body instead of mine...like she was...pleasuring herself and I was feeling it too. Shit...I wonder..._

He knew that he didn't dare ask, of course.

_She'd probably beat the shit out of me and just call me a disgusting pervert if I ask her, "Hey, by the way, female me, were you by chance masturbating in the shower?" I think I'll just...I don't know, look for signs that..._

He shook his head and turned off the water, then dried off and walked out into the dressing area. He stood in front of the mirror, looking at his naked, tattooed body and thinking again about the odd, sexually intense sensations he had felt.

"Damn...I wonder if I...?"

He checked his room to make sure he was alone, then stood in the dressing area, in front of the mirror and slid a hand down his bare belly, and touched himself. He felt guilty for using a mental image of a naked and aroused Byakuya to make himself harden again...

_But I'm kinda in a hurry. This can't take too long. And besides, he's the one who...does it for me. Gods, I am a pervert!_

But the lovely image of his captain that he conjured distracted him away from his guilt...kneeling on his bed with his yukata open and slid down off his shoulders...his head tilted and lovely, tumbled raven black hair raining down onto his upper body, his eyes wide and wanting, and his privates exposed between lily white thighs.

"F-fuck...that's beautiful!" panted Renji, stroking himself quickly.

He was nearly ready to climax, when the door to his room opened suddenly. Catching his breath in surprise, Renji threw a yukata around himself and tied it quickly as Wren's voice sounded out in his bedroom.

"What the hell are you doing, just walking into my room!" Renji demanded.

He froze as he realized that the girl was dressed in a lovely kimono and standing next to Byakuya, who was wearing a handsome, dark blue kimono that had a pretty scattering of pink sakura blossoms about the shoulders and part way down the back.

"Ah...shoot, sorry," Renji muttered, blushing, "I was..."

"Interesting," said Byakuya, surprising Renji by nearly smiling, "I thought that it was traditionally women who required more time for grooming."

"Y-yeah," Renji chuckled nervously, shifting to try to cover the bulge below his waist, "Well, if you'll just give me a sec, I will be..."

"Would you like an attendant to help you?" asked Byakuya.

"No...thanks, Captain."

"We are in my home now. And this is a social occasion, Abarai. You may call me by name."

"S-sure, Byakuya. Hey, uh, sorry to keep you waiting. I'll just...go and get dressed."

Byakuya nodded and turned Wren out the door, then closed it behind them. Renji collapsed against the wall of the dressing area, his head aching, his face flushed with embarrassment, and his member achingly hard and not in the mood to wait.

_Well, it's fucking going to have to wait now!_

He dressed quickly and walked out the garden doors, onto the wooden walkway. He found Byakuya and Wren walking the garden trail together, and Renji was stricken immediately by how close they were standing to each other, and by how, now and then, Byakuya sleeve brushed lightly against hers.

"I was so sorry to hear about the fire that destroyed your belongings, Wren," Byakuya said quietly, "I do hope that there were no injuries."

"N-no," the girl answered, her eyelids fluttering as the light breeze picked up Byakuya's lovely sakura scent and let it drift over her, "Only things got destroyed. And I didn't have too many to begin with, nor were they very nice things...it being the lower Rukongai. But you would know. You were married to a woman from Inuzuri."

Byakuya arched a fine eyebrow.

"I was. But...how did you know about my late wife?"

"Oh," she said quickly, "Renji told me...while we were getting ready to come over here."

Byakuya glanced up at Renji for a moment.

"I...ah...was just, you know making her more acquainted with..."

"He was making sure that I would behave myself," said Wren, smiling at Byakuya.

The noble's lips curved upward again.

"I see. Well, he needn't have worried. You are quite charming, Lady Wren. In fact, I would say that it might be Renji who would be more in need of a reminder about manners than you," he said, looking amused.

"Byakuya," said Wren, "These gardens are the most beautiful I've ever seen. Thank you so much for sharing them with me."

"With us," Renji added, "I agree. They're...really something, Captain."

"Arigato," said Byakuya, looking down at a climbing vine, "These gardens are very special to my family. They were created using an innate power that has been passed down through the generations. Each time a new clan leader is chosen, he adds something to the design of the garden. I added the larger koi pond and the sakura trees around it, and made the trail more winding."

"You did a lovely job," Wren said, blushing as Byakuya took her hand and kissed it lightly again.

"Thank you."

He glanced farther down to where the trail took them back to the center of the gardens, where the staff was setting out their meal at the garden table.

"It looks as though dinner is almost ready," said the noble, "Please excuse me for a moment."

He walked towards the table, leaving Renji and Wren walking more slowly behind him. Renji scowled at the girl.

"Getting awful friendly, aren't you?"

"What do you mean by that?" asked Wren, frowning back at him.

_"Ooh! The gardens are soooooo beautiful!_" Renji mimicked, "You're pretty damned obvious."

"_You_ want to talk to _me_ about obvious?" said Wren, narrowing her eyes, "What about you? What was that big thing between your legs? Was that why you took so long? You were thinking of your stupid crush on your captain and playing with yourself instead of getting ready?"

"M-my..." Renji stammered, "I...wasn't. I was...and what about you?"

He stopped himself as Wren's eyes widened.

"What did you say?" she demanded, "How dare you!"

"Well, you probably were in there fantasizing about Captain and pl..."

He broke off as Wren turned and shoved him hard, taking him by surprise and sending him tumbling into the koi pond.

"Shit!" Renji cried, as he splashed down into the water, sending a huge spray in all directions.

"Don't you _ever_ talk to me like that, you perverted beast!" the girl hissed.

She paled as Byakuya flash stepped back to them. He gazed questioningly at Renji as he sloshed to the edge of the pond and climbed out onto the grass.

"Sorry, Captain," Renji said, looking humiliated, "I, uh..."

"It was my fault," Wren said suddenly, surprising both men, "You see...I...saw a wasp that landed on Renji. And I only meant to brush it off. But I was clumsy and tripped, and well...I fell against him and pushed him in. Please don't be angry with me brother. He really didn't do anything wrong."

Byakuya looked from Renji to the girl and back again, confusion registering for a moment. Then, he shook his head briefly.

"No harm done," he said calmly, "Renji, if you will come with me, you can borrow one of my kimonos to wear to dinner."

"Oh...uh...thanks, Captain. I really am..."

"Forget it," Byakuya said, brushing off the incident and turning towards his room.

Renji gave Wren a grudging look of gratitude and followed Byakuya into the bedroom. He looked around briefly as Byakuya opened his closet in the dressing area and removed a hunter green kimono with intricate brown trim.

"Take off your wet clothes and dry off in there," the noble instructed him.

Renji went into the bathroom, noting the humid air and the light scent of sakura. He could almost imagine Byakuya in the steamy shower...

_Stop it! _he cautioned himself.

He almost jumped out of his skin as Byakuya entered the bathroom, seemingly not noticing the naked redhead standing there, drying himself off.

"Here, let me help you so that it goes faster," he offered, "We don't want to keep Rukia and Wren waiting."

"R-right," said Renji, swallowing hard at being naked in front of, not just his captain, but a guy he found to be extremely attractive...and off limits.

_Yeah, this is as close as it gets, _Renji thought, his eyes sad as Byakuya's cool, slender fingers brushed against his hot, bare skin.

"That should be acceptable," the noble said, "Come, Renji."

Renji followed him out of the bathroom and caught sight of his reflection in Byakuya's dressing room mirror.

_All dressed up and no one to give a damn..._

"That looks better on you than it does on me," commented Byakuya, making Renji catch his breath in surprise, "Why don't you keep it?"

"Oh, you don't have to do that, Captain. I mean, it's yours."

"I have plenty of kimonos," Byakuya said, looking amused, "And those colors are more yours than mine."

"Okay," Renji chuckled, blushing, "Sure. Thanks, Captain."

They reached the table and sat down, Byakuya across from Wren and Renji across from Rukia.

"Have a nice swim?" Rukia asked, smirking at Renji.

"Shut up," Renji muttered under his breath.

He was relieved when the staff arrived with their meal, and the conversation quieted. He ate silently, stealing sideways glances at Wren and Byakuya. He laughed inside at how she couldn't seem to hold back, but at heartily and forgot to put her napkin in her lap.

_That ought to cool the flames between those two, _thought Renji, _He's not going to be attracted to a woman who has no manners and eats like a horse._

He was surprised to see the gentle look of affection that had taken over Byakuya's eyes. He gazed quietly at Wren between bites of food, watching her devour what she had been given.

"It must have been...difficult for you in Inuzuri," Byakuya said suddenly, making all of the others' eyes widen as he broke the silence.

Wren looked up at him, a bite of food still in her mouth. She swallowed and broke into a smile.

"It wasn't easy," she said, smiling at him, "But, like my brother, I'm a survivor."

"Yes," agreed Byakuya, his eyes locked on hers, "You and Renji are both very spirited people...a good quality, I think."

At the end of the meal, Byakuya stood and turned towards the back gate.

"I think I will take a final walk out to the waterfall on our property. Would anyone like to go with me?"

"I think that would be lovely," said Wren, rising to join him.

Renji started to get up, but winced as Rukia kicked him underneath the table.

"Ah, Renji and I have some things to talk about," Rukia said, "You two go on ahead."

"What the hell did you do that for?" demanded Renji, as Byakuya and Wren walked away, "Are you crazy?"

"You dummy, you would have ruined it."

"What?"

"Can't you tell?" Rukia asked, rolling her eyes, "It's plain as day that my brother and your sister are falling in love!"

_Oh gods...no!_


	5. Stolen Kiss

**Chapter 5: Stolen Kiss**

**(Thanks to everyone reading and reviewing, and to unsigned reviewers Ren-Renji, RenjiByakuyaxxx, and Walkure!)**

Renji sighed in relief at seeing Byakuya dressed in a formal kimono and heading off to meet with the Kuchiki council of elders.

"That ought to keep him busy for a while."

He turned back into the gardens and found Wren sitting at the patio table and enjoying her morning tea. He studied the dreamy, contented expression she wore and knew all too well what had probably caused it.

_Great...well, this needs to get nipped in the bud or we could have a real problem on our hands._

He sat down at the table, smiling and thanking the attendant who delivered a cup of tea.

"So," he said, nodding, "You look pretty upbeat this morning. How did your after dinner walk go last night?"

She kept the dreamy smile and looked up at him.

"It went fine," she said pleasantly, "Byakuya is very sweet. He's been so nice to me, and really concerned about what happened to me."

"Okay, nice to you is fine," Renji countered, "but you know, that story about the fire isn't exactly true. And neither is what we told him about you being my sister. You might keep in mind that you are telling him quite a few lies."

Wren frowned.

"Well, _you_ might remember that you were the one who insisted on starting those lies. You didn't want to tell him the truth. And I was in shock from suddenly finding myself waking up as a woman. I didn't want to lie to him."

"But if I had told him the truth, he would have thought I needed my head examined," Renji insisted, "Who would believe a crazy thing like this?"

"Maybe you should have told him the truth from the start and he would have helped us. I think you weren't fair, judging him that way."

"Oh," said Renji, "So now you want to go to him with the truth?"

"I can't do that," Wren said, shaking her head, "He would hate me for having been dishonest with him! You can't say anything, Renji."

"Look, I'm not trying to start a fight here, and I'm not trying to hurt your feelings or make you feel bad. But...the truth is, you are really a part of me. And I am going to Kisuke today to try to get this sorted out, so that I can be one whole person again."

Wren's eyes took on a sad expression that made Renji feel an unexpectedly strong ache in his heart.

"But...Renji, when I was a part of you...Byakuya didn't love me."

Renji sighed softly and gave her a look of understanding.

"I know that," he said gently, "Believe me, I live with that fact every day. But, you know, as much as you want to be separate from me? On your own? You belong inside me. And it can't be good for either of us to be split off...broken like this."

Tears came to Wren's eyes and she sniffed softly and stared sadly into her teacup.

"But...I love him," she said, very softly, "And you, of all people, would know how much."

"Yeah," said Renji, "I do know. I know because I carry around that same feeling. And in a way, it feels good to know that Captain loves some part of me...that if I had been female, he would have loved me. But I'm not female, and it may be really...bad, dangerous even, for you and me to be separated this way. I'm not gonna ask you not to talk to him or spend time with him, just be careful not to set him up for a big fall. Byakuya has already lost someone he loved. And when Kisuke finds a way to put us back together, then he may suffer that same kind of loss again. I don't want him to be hurt. And I know that you don't want to hurt him. Spend some time with him, but be really careful...of your heart and his. You're messing with three people's lives here."

Wren sniffed softly again and glanced up at him.

"I thought that you and I only counted as one," she said, her lips trembling slightly.

Renji gave her a sad smile.

"Well, right now, we're two. But I don't want myself to get broken into any more pieces. You may think I'm being selfish here, but I'm not trying to be."

Wren sighed.

"No...you're really being pretty okay, considering. So, I'll be careful."

"Good," said Renji, "Now, while Captain is busy, I have to go to Karakura Town to get the ball rolling with Kisuke. Can I trust you to behave yourself while I'm gone?"

"Yeah," said the girl, "I'll try."

"No running off and eloping with Captain Kuchiki, okay?" Renji joked.

"I'll try to control myself," she said, smirking, "but I can't speak for Byakuya."

"All right, that's enough outta you," Renji chuckled, "I'm going. Stay outta trouble."

"Sure thing," Wren said, nodding.

Renji left the girl sitting at the table and flash stepped out of the manor. He hurried to the central senkaimon and passed over into the living world, coming down in a small park near Kisuke's and walking the short distance to the man's shop. He found the shopkeeper in his lab, fiddling with a cranky looking contraption that groaned and belched black smoke that set Kisuke coughing as it filled the room. The shopkeeper looked up as the redhead entered the room.

"Hey, Renji, what's cooking?" he said, good-naturedly.

"Ah, well, things are pretty much okay, but I need to ask you something."

Kisuke stopped fussing with the temperamental device and looked at Renji.

"You look kinda serious. Everything okay?"

"Well, now that you mention it," said Renji, "There's...something kinda weird that happened to me, and I think you might be the only person that a) won't laugh his ass off about it and b) will be able to help me with it."

"Okay," said the shopkeeper, dropping onto a stool, "Shoot it."

"Um," Renji started, thinking carefully, "Recently, I went to Hueco Mundo with a relief group. We were cleaning up a situation there, and there was some fighting."

"Mmhmm?"

"And during the fighting, one of those damned flying hollows picked me up and dumped me in the...boneyard of another."

"You get hurt?" Kisuke said, looking concerned.

"Only a minor flesh wound, Renji explained, "But something strange happened with the hollow."

"O-kay," Kisuke said, frowning, "What did the thing look like?"

"Uh, it was white and bony, like most hollows, kinda snaky, but it stood on two legs and had arms and hands like you and me. It had the usual red eyes and a hollow hole on its chest...no, wait," Renji said, frowning and thinking back, "It...I don't know if I was seeing correctly or if it was that I'd just been dropped and was shaken up, but now that I think about it, I think the thing had two hollow holes, one on each side of his chest. Some scraggly hair, longer on one side than the other."

"And what happened that was so strange?" Kisuke asked, looking very interested.

"Well, when I attacked the thing, it...split into two hollows, one with shorter hair and one with longer hair."

"It...split?"

"Yeah," Renji said, nodding.

"Is that all?"

"N-no, not exactly," Renji said, shaking his head.

"I figured," Kisuke said, smiling at him, "So, go on. What else happened that was weird?"

"Uh...hah, let's see. Just after, I realized that my arm had been cut. It wasn't real bad or anything and it healed later just fine, but...as I was walking back to the base, everything got really bright and I passed out."

"Hmmm."

"I woke up in the fourth division and everything seemed to be fine. Vice Captain Kotetsu told me that my injuries were minor, but they had hollow reiatsu around them. So, they cleared away the hollow reiatsu and healed them. I felt fine once I woke up and nothing showed up in my scan. So, I went home. I remember once, during the night, that I woke up because of an odd light in the room. But, I figured it was just something outside and went back to sleep."

"But let me guess," said Kisuke, "Things didn't turn out to be as 'fine' as they seemed, ne? Or you wouldn't be coming to me."

"That's right," agreed the redhead, "Now, promise me that you aren't going to laugh."

Kisuke grinned.

"What? You woke up with a strange problem? Odd body hair? Some kinda pain? A weird growth?"

"Well...kind of a weird growth," Renji explained.

"So, let's see it," said the shopkeeper.

"Ah, I had to leave it back in the Seireitei...for now, just while I was talking to you. It's pretty strange and I didn't want everyone to know about it."

"All right, why don't you describe it to me? What does this 'growth' look like?"

Renji hesitated, gazing at the shopkeeper and beginning to blush.

"Uh, well, it...kinda looks like...me."

"It...looks like you?" Kisuke asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Y-yeah, it looks almost exactly like me, but...female."

Kisuke's brow furrowed.

"F-female? Looks like...you?" he asked, scratching his head.

For a long time, neither man spoke. Then, unexpectedly, Kisuke began to laugh.

"Oh...oh, Renji, you...you really had me going there!" the shopkeeper managed between fits of laughter, "C-can you even...haha! You...like a woman...and...and haha!"

"Hey!" yelled Renji, "I'm not kidding! This is real!"

"Oh gods, stop! You're killing me, here!"

Renji scowled.

"Well, forget what I said about you not laughing your ass off," he muttered, crossing his arms.

Kisuke coughed several times and fought his laughter into submission.

"Ah...hah, okay, sorry. just...it sounded so...nuts, you know?"

"Yeah," said Renji, not looking the slightest bit amused, "I know it sounds like I'm crazy, but I know it's real."

"And someone else has seen this...female version of you?"

"Well, I've been trying to avoid attention..."

"For...obvious reason," chuckled Kisuke, earning a glare from the redhead.

"But Captain came to check on me, and I had to tell him that the girl was my sister."

"So he wouldn't think you'd taken one too many hits in the head, ne?"

"Yeah, whatever," Renji sighed, brushing off the joke, "Captain invited us to stay at the manor, because my apartment was too small for us to share."

"Right."

"So, she's there. And I'm just...freaked out. Have you ever heard of a hollow that does that? I mean, I wanna know if it's really bad, me kinda being split like that."

"W-well, it can't be all that good, if it's true," said Kisuke, "Tell you what. Let me do some digging and I'll get back to you on this."

"Okay, and what do I do with her in the meantime."

"I would keep her very close to you," Kisuke advised him, "If this hollow really did 'split' you somehow, it could be bad if anything happens to either one of you."

"Okay, check. I'll make sure we stick together...although, she'll probably be annoyed. She really doesn't like me. She does have a thing for Captain, though."

"She does?" asked Kisuke, "Do you?"

"What?" gasped Renji, wide-eyed, "What does that matter?"

"The funnier question is, does he like her back?" Kisuke laughed.

"Would you knock it off?" Renji asked in an exasperated tone, "I don't think this is funny at all! I got split in half somehow and I don't know what bad effects it might be having on me. It may be funny as hell to you, but I'm really worried!"

"Aw, don't get mad, Renji. Hey, you look good. Your reiatsu feels normal. I'm sure you'll be fine. I will look into this and see what I can find, then I'll need you and the girl to come here to..."

He paused as Renji stiffened, and an odd look came over his face. He touched his lips with his fingertips.

"What the...hell?" he breathed.

"Renji, are you okay?" asked Kisuke, looking more serious.

Renji's face flushed and his eyes flashed.

"That's it!" he yelled, "I'm going back there and I'm gonna kill her!"

XXXXXXXXXX

"Lady Wren," Byakuya said, startling the girl as she gazed dreamily at a large, red flower.

She turned quickly and blushed.

"Oh, Byakuya," she said, recovering herself, "You came back quickly."

"The meeting ended early, so I have no commitments for the rest of the morning."

"Me too," the girl said, turning her wide, brown eyes on the noble.

She noticed suddenly that Byakuya wasn't alone, but was standing beside a slightly younger looking man with blue eyes and more fluttery, layered black hair.

"Oh, hi Tetsuya," she said in a casual tone.

Then she caught herself as the two men blinked and exchanged surprised glances.

"Do you two know each other?" Byakuya asked.

Tetsuya shook his head looking confused.

"But it is a pleasure to meet you, Lady Wren," Tetsuya said, bowing briefly.

"Oh...yes, sorry. I don't...well, Renji talks about you so much, I feel like I know you already."

"He does?" said Tetsuya, looking surprised.

"Yeah," said Wren, "Renji thinks you're...really great."

"Oh," Tetsuya said, a light blush touching his cheeks, "I think quite highly of Renji as well."

A tall black stallion appeared behind Tetsuya and gave the younger noble a friendly nudge.

"Not now, you pest," Tetsuya said, smiling and swatting him away, "We're in polite company. Mind your manners!"

The stallion stepped forward, his equine eyes widening in surprise as he spotted Wren. He reached out his long, slender neck and sniffed questioningly at her, peeking through tumbled strands of his forelock.

"Hey!" laughed Wren, as the horse's soft muzzle tickled her cheek, "Quit that, Fleabag!"

The horse froze, making a sound of surprise and confusion as he stared at her for a moment, then spooked and bolted, charging over the back gate in a graceful leap.

"Arashi?" queried Tetsuya, "I wonder what came over him."

He spotted the stallion in the bushes outside the gates, peeking through and staring at Wren with a comically confused expression.

"Baka," Tetsuya sighed, shaking his head, "I had best go and sort him out."

Byakuya watched as he left, then turned back to Wren and smiled.

"Would you like to take a walk before lunch?" he asked, "The new section of the gardens has come into bloom, but I haven't had time to properly enjoy it yet."

"Yeah. Yes, that would be great," said Wren, taking up a position beside him as he started around the garden trail.

Byakuya led her to the far end of the trail and down a smaller path she had overlooked when walking through the area before. They came to a small courtyard area that had the feel of a deeply shaded and secluded glen. Colorful and sweetly scented flowers grew all around and trees stood scattered across the grass.

"Oh, Byakuya, what a beautiful place this is!" Wren said appreciatively, "This is amazing!"

"Arigato," he said, looking about at the flowers, then back at Wren, "I like to have a quiet place to go to think sometimes."

There was a sudden rustling in the branches of the tree over them, and a large, bushy tailed squirrel sprang to the ground, chattering loudly. Wren startled and lost her balance, then found herself captured in strong, slender hands and looking up into Byakuya's curious, steel-gray eyes.

"S-sorry," she said breathlessly, "I..."

She went silent and still, held gently in Byakuya's arms and stunned by the closeness and gentle sakura scent about him. His hand cupped her cheek lightly and his face came closer, his soft, warm lips claiming hers, hesitantly at first, and then again, more firmly. Wren's heart pounded fitfully as Renji's warning sounded in the back of her mind. She knew she should stop, but having desired such kisses for as long as she could remember, she couldn't pull away. Byakuya's fingers sank into her thick hair and he kissed her several more times before stopping and observing her quietly with smoky, amorous eyes.

"I...hope I didn't offend you," the noble said, stepping back, and shaking his head, as though just realizing what he had done.

"Oh, it's okay," said Wren, laughing nervously, "I..."

She paused as Renji's voice rose up nearby.

"Wren?" he called stridently, "Wren, are you out here?"

Wren let out an annoyed breath and rolled her eyes.

"He's such a pain..."

She noticed Byakuya still gazing at her quietly and saying nothing.

"I'd...better go and see what's got him all up in arms. Excuse me, Byakuya."

Byakuya nodded briefly, watching silently as she left the courtyard. He looked at one of the large red flowers near where he stood and blinked slowly.

_Why did it feel, for a moment, like I was kissing Renji?_

_It must be because they are twins, and so much alike._

_Still, the larger question is, why does the prospect of kissing either of them seem so..._

_...so...equally alluring?_


	6. Looking Through a Different Lens

**Chapter 6: Looking Through a Different Lens**

**(Thought I'd address cool questions and comments here this time as I'm getting lots of fun feedback! Thanks so much to everyone reading! Thanks to reviewers, Hieizzz (I won't give spoilers, but to say that the subject of a threesome will come up, though maybe in a different way than you would think!), Ren-Renji (Quick update, just like you wanted! :) Enjoy!), Autheane (More is here!), Princess Moon Shadow (Thanks!), BunnyHopster26 (Byakuya will be very confused for a while!), Mirrorsdeath17 (Me too! LOL), Liqiu03 (And Byakuya will struggle with that for a bit...), Niacy (He doesn't really know, but...Hmmm...), Dramamelon (And now, I will spoil you more!), Love Psycho (Heads will be spinning. I promise! *noms on magic cupcakes* Yum!), Liv2luv (Tetsuya doesn't have a crush on Renji. He is just very shy and Wren surprised him with the comment about Renji liking him...in a platonic, friend way, of course!), Mina Kye (Byakuya will do some thinking...and, well...you'll see!), Firebirdever (Byakuya's POV is in this chapter and will be included several times as the story moves forward.), StephanieRie (Byakuya's dangerously cute when confused!), and the lovely Walkure (High on Tylenol? LOL Take it easy. And try not to laugh too hard with this next one...especially not on the subway or at work!).)**

"Okay," hissed Renji, when he and his feminine counterpart had reached his bedroom, "At what point did you completely forget what we talked about and decide that kissing my captain was a _good_ idea? We _agreed_ that it wasn't good to set him up for a fall! What you did was really stupid and reckless!"

"What _I_ did?" Wren countered, scowling at him, "For your information, _Byakuya_ kissed _me_! And it wasn't like I saw it coming. I was as surprised as you were!"

She paused for a moment, frowning more deeply.

"And, hey! How in the hell did you know he kissed me? Were you hiding in the bushes and spying on us, like...like some kind of damned _pervert_?" she demanded.

"I...well...that's complicated. And it doesn't even matter," Renji said, shaking his head, "What matters is that you're doing something that could get us all hurt, Wren. And while I think the two of us might come through with just the usual bumps and bruises, I don't want Captain to get hurt! I'm surprised that, being a part of me, you don't think that way too."

"I do," the red haired girl insisted, "And I didn't do anything to make him kiss me like that. I was surprised by a squirrel that practically dropped on my head, and I started to fall. He caught me and he kissed me. End of story. I didn't do anything!"

Renji sighed in resignation.

"Okay, then. You didn't do anything, but something definitely happened."

Wren gave him a troubled look.

"And even though I am already really in love with him, and I can't be sorry that he kissed me, I don't want him to get hurt either, Renji. Maybe...maybe, I shouldn't stay here like this. Maybe if it seems like we can't keep the right distance, I should, I don't know, go somewhere else."

Renji sighed again and shook his head.

"I went to Kisuke and told him about what happened."

"And what did he say?" asked the girl.

"Well, after he picked himself up off the floor from laughing and had surgery for the busted gut, he said that he's going to check things out and get back to me. But he also said that since it seems pretty clear that you split off of me, we should stay close to each other to make sure nothing happens to one of us. I think we both figure into whatever will put me back together."

"Oh."

"What's wrong?" asked Renji, noting the pained look on her face, "Look, I'm sorry I came down so hard on you. I was kind of a jerk about it. And I should have let you explain."

"You are a jerk," Wren agreed, narrowing her brown eyes and crossing her arms, "but that's not what's wrong. I have a headache and my stomach hurts, and it feels like I need to pee."

Renji smiled and shook his head.

"Go ahead. I'm done being a jerk, for now."

"Well, thanks..."

She hurried into the bathroom and quickly moved her clothes out of the way.

_I still can't seem to get used to sitting down to take a piss..._

Even after emptying her bladder, she still felt a throbbing in her lower abdomen. She started to wipe herself clean, then felt something odd. She looked down and loosed a terrified scream. A moment later, Renji pounded on the bathroom door.

"Wren? Wren, are you okay?" he asked, through the door, "Wren!"

"I...I'm f-fine!" she yelled back, "Just...just leave me alone, okay?"

"But...?"

"GET OUT OF HERE!"

"Holy hell," muttered Renji, shaking his head, "What is her _problem_?"

He walked back to his bed and collapsed.

"Shit...now I have a stomach ache too. I wonder if it's something we ate..."

He looked up in surprise and the bathroom door opened and Wren ran out, ignoring him as she passed by him and burst out the garden doors.

"What the fuck is _wrong_ with her?" Renji grumbled, rolling his eyes.

Wren charged out the doors and looked around, making a sound of relief as she spotted Rukia sitting near a bed of flowers, reading a book.

"Hey, Rukia," she said, trying not to blush as she considered what she had to ask, "You mind if I ask a favor?"

"Oh, hi Wren," Rukia said, smiling, "Sure, no problem. What do you need?"

"Well," said the red haired girl, blushing brightly, "You see, all of my things were burned in the fire, and although your brother was very kind and gave me some clothes and things, there was something pretty important that he doesn't seem to have...um...thought of."

"Huh?" said Rukia, blinking.

_Oh god, please don't make me say it..._

"Y-you know...um...g-girl stuff."

"Girl stuff?" Rukia repeated, glancing away for a moment, then smiling, "Hello, Brother."

_Oh my god! Not...happening!_

"Hello, Rukia. Would the two of you like to join me for lunch before I go to work?" Byakuya asked.

_Shiiiiiiiiit!_

"I'm in," Rukia said, nodding, "But Wren, you said you needed something?"

_NO!_

"Erm...eh, I...it's kinda private."

"Oh," said the clan leader, "Well, why don't the two of you see to that and I'll meet you at the table?"

_Can I die now?_

_I'm going to drop dead from embarrassment right here..._

"Come on, Wren," Rukia laughed, "We can talk in my room while we get changed."

Wren couldn't escape Byakuya's eyes quickly enough and loosed a sigh of relief as they entered the bedroom.

"So...you needed something?" Rukia asked.

"Y-yeah," Wren said, sure that she was going to sink into the ground right there, "I...I have my...erm..."

_Ugh..._

"My uh...p-period."

_Either that or I'm bleeding to death. I'm not sure..._

"Oh!" said Rukia, finally understanding, "Oh, you poor thing! In here."

She led Wren to the bathroom.

"Do you use pads or tampons?"

"Uh..."

_Okay, pads definitely sound less...invasive._

"P-pads," Wren said, choking on the word.

"Oh, I use tampons. But I can..."

"Eh, it's okay, a tampon will be fine. I can do that."

"Sure," said Rukia, "I'll just wait for you in the gardens."

"Thanks," said Wren, accepting the box of tampons.

Wren waited as she left, then closed and locked the door. She picked up the box and removed one of the long, slender devices.

"Shit...I have to stick that where?"

She found a slip of paper inside that showed how to insert the tampon.

"You need directions? Really? Is it that hard to...?"

She slipped out of her kimono to make things easier, then looked at the box again.

"So, do you sit down or stand up to do this?" she whispered, "You can't tell from the picture."

She sat down and spread her legs, then unwrapped the tampon and glared at it.

"That little thing is going to soak up all of that blood? I mean, that looked like a lot!"

She brought the tip of the tampon to the entrance to her vagina.

"Okay...this is like...a really pathetically little guy, right? Won't feel a thing..."

She pushed the tampon in and winced.

"Okay, not comfortable," she mused, "Am I doing this right?"

She pushed the applicator and winced again.

"It feels like I put a dry stick up my ass, but if it stops me bleeding all over my clothes..."

She pulled the applicator out and promptly dropped it in the toilet.

"Damn it! I'm pretty sure that plastic isn't supposed to get flushed. Oh gods, this is so fucking _gross_! How do girls _do _this!"

Wren looked around and found a toilet brush she used to fish the applicator out of the toilet, then dropped the offending piece of plastic in the trashcan.

"Thank god that's over!" she breathed, shaking her head.

She dressed again and walked out to where Rukia waited on the walkway.

"Here, take this," Rukia said, handing her a pill and a glass of water, "It will help with the cramps and bloating. It always helps me. I get kind of bitchy when I have my period..."

_You can fucking say that again..._

"...so I take these to help with that."

"Ah, thanks," said Wren, "We just kinda had to bitch and bear it where I came from."

Rukia laughed.

"Don't worry, I had your attendant take pads, tampons and more of this to your room for you."

"Thanks, Rukia, you're a real pal," Wren said, slipping her arm around the girl and hugging her.

"Gosh," said Rukia, "You and your brother really are a lot alike. Renji always does that when I save his ass from doing something stupid!"

_Hey!_

"Ah...yeah, we're always surprising ourselves with how many things we both do."

"Come on," said Rukia, taking Wren's hand, "We shouldn't keep my brother waiting."

"Right."

XXXXXXXXXX

Byakuya was mildly surprised to find Renji already at his desk and working when he entered the sixth division office.

"Renji?" he said, tilting his head slightly, "You are already back from having lunch with your friends?"

"Eh, yeah," said the redhead, "I wasn't feeling so good."

"I am sorry to hear that. Do you need to go to the fourth division?" Byakuya asked.

"Oh, no, it's not that bad...just kinda uncomfortable. And I didn't think it would be good to fill up on food."

"Ah."

The noble walked to his desk and opened the drawer, then removed something and brought it to Renji.

"What's this, Captain?" the redhead asked.

"A strong peppermint," Byakuya explained, "Peppermint, the scent of lemons and ginger are all things that are helpful in soothing stomach upset and nausea."

"Oh," Renji said, accepting the peppermint, "Thanks."

A soft jolt went through Renji as Byakuya's fingers brushed very lightly against the palm of his hand in the exchange. And another, stronger one went through him as he saw a flash of...something in the noble's dark gray eyes. Byakuya froze for a moment, then recovered himself and walked back to his desk, quietly dismissing the redhead as he sat down to get to work. He frowned at the paper in front of him, still feeling the impact of having touched Renji's palm.

_It has to be that I am seeing his sister romantically, and they are so much alike. It must be..._

He stole a glance at Renji out of the corner of an eye, thinking about when he had kissed Wren.

_For some reason, when I think about that kiss, my perception blurs. The emotions I feel looking at her, touching her, thinking about her are becoming confused with how I respond to Renji. But I've never thought about Renji in that way._

He started to go back to work, but was stricken with a sudden, ringing thought.

_Could I have been attracted to Renji all along?_

He stole another glance at the redhead, attending to the common mannerisms, to the similar expression, the myriad of likenesses in the two.

_I have long held the notion that it is not wrong to embrace a homosexual lifestyle, although I never considered it at all for myself. I am not homosexual, but could I be bisexual and simply never explored the idea before?_

He caught sight of Renji looking at him from out of the corner of an eye.

_But Renji has never indicated an interest that way in me. When we met, he despised me for stealing Rukia away from him. He wanted to overcome me on the battlefield, and even though his goal has changed slightly, he still focuses on defeating me in battle as a marker of achievement. But could his desire to overcome me be about more than just Rukia? Why does he keep looking at me? Has he been doing this all of this time and I simply haven't noticed?_

"Renji," he said, surprising himself by speaking.

"Captain?" Renji responded, looking up at him questioningly.

_Why is he blushing?_

"Y-yes," Byakuya went on, "I had something that I wanted to discuss with you."

He blinked in surprise.

_Did he just go a shade paler?_

"Yes, Captain?"

"I was wondering," he said quietly, "How do you feel about the fact that I have been...spending time with Wren?"

Renji's mouth opened, but he didn't answer right away.

_I've made him uncomfortable._

"The reason I ask is..."

"I know why you're asking," said Renji, looking back down at the papers in front of him, "And I'll be honest. It's...kinda strange, my boss seeing my sister. But...it...makes you happy, sir?"

Byakuya gazed at him quietly for a long moment.

"Yes. But I do not want things to become awkward for us, here. So...if it bothers you greatly..."

"I didn't say that," Renji answered, surprising himself completely, "It's strange...but it isn't a huge deal. Just..."

He looked back up at the noble meaningfully.

"She hasn't been here very long and she's kinda vulnerable. Maybe you shouldn't rush things."

"I kissed her," Byakuya said, his voice calm, but with an edge of tension.

"I know. She told me."

"Are you angry?"

Renji closed his eyes against the ache, but Byakuya didn't miss the change of expression.

"No."

_A lie to cover the pain? Renji, have you been feeling this way all along? Why did I never notice? But it would be a lie to say that I am not attracted to Wren. Still...why do I hurt for you, seeing you look at me that way?_

"If it makes you happy to see my sister, then see her. Just, be good to her, Captain."

_Renji?_

"I will."

_I am sorry that I didn't see this before. I wonder what would have happened if I had. What would have happened if we had opened that doorway?_

He looked over at Renji, but the redhead was deeply entrenched in his work and seemed not to notice.

_I am going to have to slow down and think this through. I don't want to hurt either one of them. And I don't want to make an awful mistake._

He turned his attention back to his work, but couldn't help stealing glances at Renji, and thinking obsessively about the redhead and his sister. He continued to reflect on kissing Wren, but closing his eyes and looking back, he couldn't quite picture her without also seeing Renji.

_So, who am I really attracted to? Wren or Renji? Both?_

A shiver went through him as Renji sank his fingers into his red hair, scratching lightly, then sliding them out again. It was something he did commonly, but, Byakuya realized, the very motion touched on feelings.

"Captain, is...everything okay?"

Byakuya climbed to his feet.

"Captain?" Renji said, watching with spellbound eyes as Byakuya crossed the room and dragged him to his feet.

Renji's heart stopped in his chest and his legs nearly collapsed as the captain he was head over heels in love with grabbed the front of his shihakushou and crashed their lips together in a mind numbingly beautiful kiss.


	7. Broken World

**Chapter 7: Broken World**

**(Thanks so much to reviewers ActuallyNevis, D-Chan, XDarkerXDesireX, Alabirdie, OverPowered, Ren-Renji, HimenoSakura90, Hieizzz, Princess Moon Shadow, BunnyHopster26, Roisin Ichimaru, Cherry Pinup 42, Walkure (So sorry about your hair! LOL), Liqiu03, Cori07, Niacy, Liv2luv (Yup, I love sending readers into fits. I love stories that make me yell, scream and throw fits! LOL), Manga-fanficfan, Meggels, DragonPrincess01 (So glad I tickled your funny bone!), Kami-no-Namida (Hmmm, not sure yet how long it will be, but there are two parts, so I think long!), Autheane, BrittanySachikoKuchikiUkitake, Sakasandora, StephanieRie, Mina Kye, Firebirdever and Love Psycho! You guys are the absolute greatest! Spunky love ya'! Ah, and don't worry, although Bya and Renji get put off of explanations for a little bit, they are on the way. Just have some plot business to see to first!)**

_"Captain, is...everything okay?"_

_Byakuya climbed to his feet._

_"Captain?" Renji said, watching with spellbound eyes as Byakuya crossed the room and dragged him to his feet._

_Renji's heart stopped in his chest and his legs nearly collapsed as the captain he was head over heels in love with grabbed the front of his shihakushou and crashed their lips together in a mind numbingly beautiful kiss._

He felt his back hit the wall and groaned as the shock of it blended dizzyingly with the sudden pleasure of having his mouth forcefully invaded by the man he'd been wishing would kiss him for ages. His senses were overwhelmed with the lovely scent of sakura, the flashes of steely gray eyes locked on his, the crisp, black shihakushou, the surprisingly soft haori, and the silken brush of the windflower scarf he wore. The kiss seemed to go on forever, making Renji's body go weak as much from lack of oxygen as from being kissed. But finally, Byakuya released him, and the stunned redhead slid down the wall and landed in a heap on the floor, shaking his head and taking a long dragging breath. He looked up at the noble, who stared back at him with wide, intense eyes.

Renji panted for a moment, his head spinning as he got his bearings and gathered himself to speak.

"C-captain!" he gasped, still panting softly, "What? What in the hell was _that_ about?"

It was then that he noticed that Byakuya's hand had fallen to the weapon at his hip.

"What the fuck is _wrong_ with you?" he went on, sudden fear exiting his body as a flash of anger, "Were you trying to give me a heart attack?"

"Something isn't right about you," the noble said firmly, "I can _feel _it!"

"Oh," said the redhead, sarcastically, "Something isn't right about _me_? What about you? You just asked me if it was okay that you're dating my sister! You told me that you kissed her, for kami's sake! I gave you my blessing. I didn't do anything to lead you on."

"No," said Byakuya, "you did not. That is not why I kissed you."

"Ah," said Renji, beginning to catch his breath and feeling a harder swell of anger, "So, while you're on the subject, why the hell _did_ you kiss me? If it wasn't that you sensed I wanted you to..."

"I was confused," the noble began.

He stopped as the squad room alert signal sounded, and a voice rose up on the loudspeaker.

_Code red alert...code red alert...Base three, Hueco Mundo under seige...I repeat...Base three, Hueco Mundo under seige...Squad eleven, report to base three immediately. Squads four and six coordinate for relief duty._

Byakuya gave Renji a stern look.

"Remain here. I will see to this."

"Whoa, wait a sec!" Renji objected, "What do you mean, stay here? There's no way in hell you're going without me."

"I told you. I sensed..."

"I'm fine, Captain. And you know damned well, there's no one here at the base right now as qualified to back you up as me."

"But you are..."

"I told you, I'm fine. Please, Captain! There is...something kinda weird going on, but it isn't anything that will keep me from doing my job. I swear, I'll tell you when I get back. Just..."

Byakuya gave him a guarded look

"Very well," he said tersely, "But when we return, you are to explain exactly what is going on with you and Wren!"

"Fine!" Renji said, grabbing his zanpakutou and following the noble out the door.

Within moments, their group was assembled and on the way to the fourth division to meet the relief team. Captain Unohana and Vice Captain Kotetsu met them in the gathering area just outside the healing center.

"We are ready," she told Byakuya.

The noble nodded and motioned for his fighters to take up protective positions around the healers. The group broke into a run and headed for the crossover point, arriving there in a matter of minutes.

"There are likely to be many injured," said Captain Unohana, as they ran.

"Yes," agreed Byakuya, "If not from the attack on the base itself, from the fact that the eleventh was sent in to handle things."

"Hmmm," said the healer, smiling and shaking her head, "They do seem to go in headlong and without much strategy, but they are very intense fighters."

Byakuya made a non-committal sound and continued to lead the group on. They reached the crossover point and passed through the precipice world. As they ran, the kido specialists began preparatory incantations and the core fighting group drew their swords. They emerged from the precipice world, entering the base to find it overrun and teeming with fighting shinigamis and hollows. Byakuya ordered the healers back into the doorway and left a group of guards as the rest of the fighters set themselves and began an assault on the attacking hollows.

"It looks like they got in because of numbers!" yelled Renji, "but they're gonna lose that advantage right now!"

Byakuya nodded and surged forward with a group of fighters, loosing a wave of petals to give the fighters room to move. Renji's group set themselves up just behind their captain's, sending a hail of kido to clear the path to the eleventh division and base forces that were already heavily involved. Behind them, the healers emerged from cover and ran to the fallen fighters in the secured area, as the sixth division forces advanced.

Byakuya flash stepped to a bridge, overlooking the fighters and sent his petal blades arcing around the defensive fighters ahead of him.

"Ban kai," he said calmly, "Scatter, Senbonzakura Kageyoshi."

A larger swell of petal blades roared downward and spun between the fighters, striking numerous hollows and giving the weary fighters time to gather themselves. Renji reached the bridge and stood at the near end, sending the shield group to spread out along the span. They began their incantations and slowly raised a protective shield over the fighters below them to keep flighted hollows from making strafing runs over them. Captain and vice captain watched carefully, protecting the shield holders and launching protective fire to defend the fighters below them. Renji tensed as he spotted a weakening in the defensive lines, where hollows looked to be on the verge of pushing through. He drew Zabimaru.

"Ban kai, Hihio Zabimaru!" he cried.

To his astonishment, nothing happened.

_Shit!_

He shifted seamlessly to kido, raking the hollows with blazing red fireballs and forcing them back.

_What the hell is wrong with you guys!_ he thought, reaching out with his mind to connect with his zanpakutou.

A shiver went through him as he felt only silence in return. He looked down at his weapon and felt that there was reiatsu in the blade.

_Damn it! Then, maybe the problem isn't with them. Maybe the problem is with me! I wonder if it is an effect of..._

A heavy rumble that shook the bridge, dragged Renji out of his thoughts, and he saw Byakuya grab the railing to steady himself. The next moment, ceros pounded the base of the structure, passing beneath the shielding and destabilizing the structure beneath the shield holders. Immediately, Byakuya used the force of his spiritual pressure to keep the bridge from breaking apart as it sank downward.

"Don't drop the shield!" Renji shouted at the shield holders, "Whatever you fucking do, don't...!"

He broke off as four menos grande broke through the fighters in front of them and took aim on the slowly descending bridge.

"Fall back!" Renji ordered the shield holders, "Captain and I will cover you!"

As though connected, Renji and Byakuya sent a punishing hail of kido fire into the menos, giving the shield holders a chance to flash step away from the crumbling bridge. Renji met Byakuya's eyes and the noble nodded his approval for them to fall back. Renji flash stepped down, then fired protective kido as Byakuya followed. But as the noble landed, the remnants of the bridge that he had been restraining, crashed down, and to their surprise, exploded. A moment later, a group of flighted hollows soared overhead, raining cero fire and stones down on the retreating fighters, then sweeping down to attack with teeth and claws. Renji's heart froze as Byakuya flash stepped clear of the exploding bridge, but disappeared into a cloud of hollows.

"Damn it!" he screamed, "Hado number 31, Shakkahou!"

He flash stepped almost as fast as his kido blasts flew, and arrived at Byakuya's side as the noble's legs gave way beneath him. The shield holders set themselves in front of the two and raised their shielding again, giving Renji time to drag the injured noble out of the fighting zone.

His heart ached to remain at his captain's side but he knew better than to leave their squad leaderless. So, he turned Byakuya over to the healers and flash stepped back to the fighting zone. He noted, with relief, that the shield holders had taken up position in the base's watchtowers, and were, once again, covering the hand to hand fighters and kido groups as they fought. Renji ascended one of the watchtowers and observed the fighting, holding his own power in reserve in case anything else broke through.

The lull in activity gave him time to think about what had happened. He placed a hand on the hilt of his sword and reached out with his senses again. And again, he could sense that there was, indeed, reiatsu in the sword, but no matter how he tried, he could not connect with the spirit in the blade.

_It's so strange,_ he mused, _Because I didn't feel any change in my reiatsu or Zabimaru's, it didn't even occur to me to think that what happened to me could have affected my connection with my zanpakutou. I need to see Kisuke to tell him about this. I can still fight, but I'll be a lot less effective as long as I can't use my zanpakutou. Shit, and if anyone here finds out, I'll be out of the Gotei 13. You can't be a shinigami if you can't connect with your zanpakutou. But...there's got to be a way to fix this._

He glanced back at where Captain Unohana leaned over Byakuya, who looked to still be unconscious.

_I wonder if he saw. I'll have a hell of a time explaining if he did. I don't want to think about what will happen if..._

He forced himself to focus his attention firmly on the battle to push down the feeling of panic that was rising up inside him.

_There's a way to fix this. There has to be. Kisuke will think of something. The guy's a freaking genius. And no shinigami knows more about hollows and their weird effects than he does._

He gave a sigh of relief as the battle wound down and the hollows finally retreated. Renji left guards on duty and flash stepped back to where the injured fighters were being prepared for evacuation to the Seireitei. He approached Captain Unohana as a group of healers lifted the stretcher Byakuya laid on, and prepared to carry him into the precipice world.

"Is he going to be okay?" he asked the healer worriedly, "He got pretty banged up."

"He was lucky that you were near enough to come to his aid so quickly," commented the healer, "You are to be commended for making sure that the damage he took was minimal. He will be fine with some rest and a reiatsu infusion."

"That's good," Renji sighed, "Thanks, Captain Unohana."

Renji watched as Byakuya was carried away, then returned to where the sixth division forces were gathered and waiting. They waited in the staging area until another group of relief fighters arrived to watch over the base as repairs were done, then he led the sixth division forces through the precipice world and back into the Seireitei. As much as he hated to delay going to Byakuya's side, he returned to the division office and first made sure that things were in order and the proper reports were filed. After he finished, he hurried off to the fourth division.

He was surprised to find that, not only was Byakuya awake, but Rukia and Wren were already at his bedside.

"Wow," he commented, "Word gets around fast."

"No thanks to you, baka," Rukia said, frowning, "You know, you could have sent a hell butterfly."

"I was busy making sure that we got our asses outta there in one piece!" Renji objected, "And then, someone had to make sure that the reports got filed."

"Renji is right," Byakuya said, "And even if he wasn't, I am in his debt for stepping in and assisting me. So leave off insulting him."

Byakuya paused for a moment, then met Renji's eyes.

"Rukia," he said quietly, "You and Wren should go back to the manor and have something to eat."

"Oh, we can find something around here," said Rukia, "Come on, Wren. Do you guys want me to bring something back for you?"

"I am fine," said Byakuya, shaking his head.

"Nothing for me either," said Renji.

The two men watched as the women left the room, then Renji felt Byakuya's eyes touch on him.

"Abarai," he said, making a jolt of uncertainty pass through the redhead, "I wanted to have a word with you privately."

_Shoot..._

_About the kiss?_

_Or about my zanpakutou?_

_I don't suppose another hollow attack's going to put this off any longer, so I might as well get it over with._

"Yeah, okay," he answered, bracing himself.

He caught his breath in surprise as the door opened and Hanatarou entered the room.

"Hello, Captain Kuchiki," the healer said, smiling, "Captain Unohana has asked me to run another set of tests, so I'll need to borrow you for a while."

"Oh, very well," sighed the noble.

He gave Renji a meaningful look.

"We will continue our discussion when I return."

"Oh," said Renji, "It's gonna have to wait...just for a bit. I, uh...promised Kisuke I would meet him to talk about our next set of deployments in Karakura Town."

"That does need to get done with due haste," agreed the noble, "But I expect you will report to me upon your return, Abarai."

"Yes, of course, sir," Renji said, groaning inwardly.

_This is all kinds of not good..._

He couldn't escape the healing center fast enough, but flash stepped outside and found Wren standing on the steps outside the healing center, as though waiting.

_Oh great. She probably sensed that kiss Captain gave me and is going to bust my chops for it..._

"Renji?" she said, wringing her hands together, "I need to talk to you."

"Look, about that kiss..."

"Oh," the girl said, blushing, "I told you. It was really just an impulse thing. And as much as I liked it, I felt kind of bad. You were right. We don't know what's going to happen. I'm probably just going to be put back together with you, at some point, so...it's best not to get too involved. I understand."

_Whoa...hold on a sec! She didn't sense us kissing? Does that mean that I can sense what she does, but she can't sense what I do?_

"Look," Renji said, taking her hand, "It's okay. But...you and I have to go to Karakura Town. We need to see Kisuke about this. I have some more questions, and I think he'll want to run some tests on both of us."

"Well," said the girl, "All right. But we can't be away too long. I want to visit with Byakuya."

"Yeah, all right," said Renji, "We'll make it a quick trip. I just want Kisuke to be able to get a handle on what's up with us."

Wren nodded and fell in next to him, as they walked to the central senkaimon. They started to enter the precipice world, but Wren stopped short and made a sound of dismay.

"What's wrong?" Renji asked quickly.

"I don't know!" the girl said, wide-eyed, "I can't go in!"

Renji frowned and stepped out of the doorway. He stood in front of Wren and scanned her body carefully.

"Damn!" he mused.

"What's wrong?" Wren asked.

"What's wrong is that your reiatsu isn't sufficient for you to pass through!"

He studied her again for several minutes.

"Can you make a kido ball?" he asked, "You know how it's done, because I do."

"Okay," the girl said, cupping her hands and trying to make the kido ball appear.

The two stared as nothing formed. Renji shook his head in confusion.

"This just gets stranger and stranger," he said, shaking his head, "Come on. We'll go and get you a mod soul so that you can pass through."

"What does all of this mean, Renji?" Wren said, looking unnerved.

"I don't know," the redhead admitted, taking Wren's hands, "But I promise you. We're gonna find out, and everything will be okay."

Wren gave him a look of even greater uncertainty, but nodded briefly. She followed him quietly back to the Seireitei gates, a silent shadow on his heels.


	8. In Pieces

**Chapter 8: In Pieces**

"Whoa," said Renji as he and Wren entered the shopkeeper's laboratory, "Hey! That's the hollow that split me in two!"

Kisuke looked up from where he leaned over one of the two hollows.

"Yeah," the shopkeeper confirmed, "It sure is."

"Where'd you find him?" the redhead asked, moving closer and examining the two partially dissected bodies, "And, hey, why'd you kill them? Shouldn't you have left them alive so we could..."

"This guy," said Kisuke, "Or rather, these guys, had the misfortune of meeting up with Captain Zaraki."

"Shit," muttered Renji, "I'm surprised there was anything left to dissect."

"Yeah, me too," said Kisuke, "But as helpful as it's been to have the bodies, I still have a lot of questions. I have Yoruichi and Ichigo out looking for a live one of these, but often these unusual types are one of a kind mutations, so you won't find more. But we shouldn't give up entirely on trying to find one. And while the others see to that, I'm tackling what I can with these guys, here."

He took a closer look at Wren and grinned.

"So, you're Renji's 'feminine side,' ne?" he asked.

"I am Wren," the girl said, scowling at him, "Just because I got split from Renji's body doesn't mean I'm not my own person."

"Ah, sorry, Miss Wren," Kisuke said, smirking, "This is just a pretty unusual situation."

"So, what have you learned about that hollow?" Renji asked.

"This and that," said the shopkeeper, "This is a pretty powerful one, even though he doesn't appear to be that formidable. I think one of the ways it lures other beings to it is by looking far more harmless than it is. Part of what makes it so powerful is the technique of splitting itself. The unsplit body conceals the other one and its reiatsu, so instead of fighting one powerful hollow, you've got twice as much on your hands."

"I can see how that would lead some to make a wrong assumption," said Renji, "A dangerously wrong one."

"I would say, a deadly one," Kisuke added, "And the final kicker is that it splits its opponent. I am going to have to study the two of you a bit to figure out just how the splitting works, so I can get an idea of how to put you back together."

"That's why we're here," said Renji, "Ask us anything you want."

"Okay," said Kisuke, "First, I will have each of you step into that booth over there. It will take a full body scan, a reiatsu reading, and create a three dimensional diagram of your bodies. Wren, why don't you go first?"

Wren nodded and stepped into the booth, where she stood for several minutes while Kisuke made adjustments on the console in front of him. Renji looked over the shopkeeper's shoulder as words and images flashed on the screen in front of him.

"Healthy shinigami female," said Kisuke, "minimal spirit centers and little reiatsu. Body is stable and normal functioning, but I can see why you had to give her the mod soul before coming here. Can she connect with Zabimaru?"

"No," said Renji, frowning, "And Kisuke...neither can I."

"You can't connect at all?" asked the shopkeeper, "How's your reiatsu?"

"Seems fine," answered the redhead, "I was firing kido spells in the battle before."

"Hmmm," muttered Kisuke, "Okay, Wren, you can step out of there now and let Renji have a turn."

The two switched places and Kisuke started to press buttons and move levers, but stopped as Rukia stepped into the room.

"Hey Rukia," the shopkeeper said, smiling at her.

"Hello, Kisuke," said Rukia, "What's going on in here?"

"Ah...erm..." Kisuke said, noting the fact that Renji was shaking his head and mouthing 'no,' and Wren was biting nervously at her lips and saying nothing, "Actually, they're just helping me to calibrate this thing."

"Oh, well, I just wanted to let Wren and Renji know that they're releasing my brother from the healing center. He's going to be fine, but he'll be taking the next few days off of work and relaxing at the manor."

"That's good news," said Wren, smiling.

She glanced at Renji, then at Kisuke.

"Are you...all done with me?" she asked.

"Oh, yeah, sure," Kisuke answered, "But I still need a little help from Renji. I'll send him back in a bit, okay?"

"Okay," said Rukia, "But Byakuya wants to see Renji at home, as soon as he gets back."

_Great, _thought Renji, _I really kinda hoped that he'd forget._

"I'll be done with him soon," Kisuke promised.

He waited until the two women had left, then turned back to the console and continued to study the results of the scan.

"Okay...Healthy male shinigami, fully developed spirit centers and captain level reiatsu. But..."

"But what?" Renji asked worriedly, "Is something wrong?"

Kisuke frowned at the screen, calling up side by side images of the two, as Renji exited the chamber and returned to the shopkeeper's side. Kisuke squinted at the image of Wren's body, then the one of Renji, then back and forth several times.

"What's wrong?" Renji asked again.

"Well," said Kisuke, "I just found something kinda odd, though I don't think it's anything dangerous. You see here?"

He pointed to a small structure near the largest of Renji's spirit centers.

"This isn't supposed to be there, and I don't know exactly what it does. And whatever it is, Wren doesn't have one of those in her body. Instead, where you have the concave structure, she has a sort of vague space. I really need to study the thing more."

"Whew," Renji sighed, "Can you just tell Captain that I'm sick and have to stay here or something? Because, I am just not ready to start explaining things to him."

"Heh, I'd like to be there when you do," chuckled the shopkeeper, "But yeah, I'll send a hell butterfly to him and tell him you have food poisoning or something."

He picked up a small monitor with sticky pads on the bottom and slipped it under the redhead's top, making him blush as he pressed the device to the skin over the unidentified structure.

"Okay," he said, nodding, "Now, you go and lie down on that cot over there, and I will monitor you while you sleep."

"But, I'm not tired," objected Renji.

"Oh, that's okay," said Kisuke, suddenly touching a palm to the redhead's body, invoking a hasty kido spell and dropping Renji in his tracks.

He caught the redhead as he started to slump to the floor.

"All right, Renji, you just take it easy and slack off like usual and I will figure this thing out."

He placed the redhead on the cot, then summoned a hell butterfly.

"Captain Kuchiki, just wanted to pass on that our buddy, Renji came down with the flu and is in bed, sleeping, here. I will send him on home tomorrow, first thing, as I hear you're about as anxious to have him back as I am to get rid of him. Toodles."

He laughed softly and turned back to Renji, attaching several more monitors to his body and setting the machinery to record information as the redhead slept.

"Okay, now," he said as he set the last device in place and stepped away, "By morning, I think we'll have a much better idea of what's going on."

He sat down at the console and started to read through a stack of readouts as Renji slept peacefully on the cot.

"Well," sighed the shopkeeper, "At least one of us will get a good night's sleep."

XXXXXXXXXX

"Arigato," Byakuya said, smiling as Wren handed him a cup of tea and sat down next to the noble's bed.

He looked around the room questioningly.

"Where did Rukia go?"

"Oh, she said that she needed to answer a hell butterfly from her captain. She'll be by in the morning."

Wren sipped at her tea as Byakuya sipped at his.

"Are you feeling better now?" she asked.

"Much better, actually," Byakuya said, nodding, "And now that I am, I have some questions...if you don't kind my asking."

"Of course not," Wren said, a jolt of anxiety going through her, "What do you want to know?"

"You and Renji seem to have a very strong bond between you," Byakuya said quietly, "And in fact, your reiatsu feels essentially the same. Even reiatsu from twins usually differentiates more as the twins age."

"Yes," Wren agreed, "Renji and I have realized that, and we have talked to Kisuke Urahara to try to figure out why we are so tightly bonded. I left before we got any real answers. But I am sure that when Renji returns, he will know something more."

"Hmmm," the noble said approvingly, "Well then, if Kisuke is working on the matter, I will wait for the results, and I am sure we'll have some answers then. I was just surprised at the connection between you that is so strong, and how you both share so much and seem so alike, even not knowing of each other until now."

"I am anxious for answers as well," said Wren, "But I'm tired of thinking about it. If there was anything that was cause for worry, then, I think we would already know."

"Most likely," agreed the noble.

Byakuya flinched, and Wren gave him a look of sympathy.

"Ah...that looks painful. Are you all right?"

"Yes, I am fine," Byakuya assured her, "My shoulder and back were bruised, but nothing was broken."

"That's good," Wren said, "But you know, I know some good massage techniques that will make that feel even better. I'll be cautious around the bruises, don't worry. Do you want me to see what I can do for you?"

"That would be very helpful. Arigato," the noble replied, sliding his yukata down off of his pale, muscular shoulders.

"Renji has assisted me on occasion with sore muscles after I was injured before. It seems that you have another thing in common with your brother."

"Yes," Wren agreed, smiling and continuing the gentle motion of her hands over his body, "That is something else we share."

The two went quiet as Wren continued the gentle massage. She gazed dreamily at the noble's lovely body, aching all over to be equally bared and pressed up against him. And as though he had heard her thoughts, Byakuya turned and captured her in his hands, bringing their mouths together in a long, soulful kiss that left both nearly panting. His eyes locked warmly on hers, he dragged her all of the way onto the bed and brought her gently down on her back, still kissing her.

Wren parted her thighs and wrapped her long legs around him, rubbing against his clothing covered member. Byakuya's hand captured the tie at her waist, and he opened her top, and bared her pretty, tattooed breasts.

"The markings are the same as Renji's," Byakuya said, tracing one with his fingertip.

Wren moaned at the pleasantness of being touched that way and rubbed harder against him. Byakuya sank into another deep, penetrating kiss, closing his eyes as he did so. He caught his breath softly as, beneath his closed eyelids, he saw Renji's face appear to him. And when Wren moaned his name and rubbed harder against him, it was Renji's voice he heard in his mind and Renji's hands he felt clenching his shoulders.

_Why is this happening? _he wondered, _I keep sensing Renji! He isn't even anywhere nearby! What is going on?_

Out of guilt, he opened his eyes so that he would see Wren's lovely face, and he would feel the softness of her body. His fingers traced the sweat misted tattoos on her breasts, and he brought his mouth to one side to tease her.

"Oh...oh gods!" Wren moaned, writhing against him, "Ah...ah, Byakuya!"

Byakuya's hand slid down, under her loosened clothes. Lithe fingertips found the sensitive place that made her moan and thrash more wildly. She gave a restless groan as his fingers found the small length of string, making her flush in embarrassment.

"D-damn it!" she swore, causing the noble to arch a fine eyebrow, "Sorry...just, I fucking hate periods!"

Byakuya's lips smiled and found her earlobe.

"They are an annoyance," he said softly, warming her ear and bringing an even deeper flush to her skin, "However, there are ways to work around it. But...I think I should ask first. Wren, do you have any issues about engaging an alternative to vaginal penetration?"

Her enthusiastic answer left Byakuya blushing...

XXXXXXXXXX

"Huh?" Kisuke muttered, frowning as Renji gave a light, moaning sigh and began to fidget.

His eyes moved to study the monitor in front of him, and he raised an eyebrow.

"Ah...so you do have a use..." he said, watching the odd, bony structure in Renji's body pulsate softly.

He spotted a thin line of reiatsu streaming into the room, and into Renji's body.

"What the...? What is going on here?"

_Renji tossed and turned, his ears hearing Byakuya's amorous voice and his eyes focusing on the noble's handsome face. Long, graceful fingers sank into the lengths of his hair, and Byakuya's hot lips fastened on his, feeding him kisses as he raised his hips wantonly and rubbed against the noble. His voice mixed oddly with Wren's in a passionate tumble of words and voracious moans of delight._

_He almost sobbed with joy as the noble's hand slid down and pulled free the tie at his waist, then traced the black lines along his breasts._

_"The markings are the same as Renji's," Byakuya said, tracing one with his fingertip._

_"Wh-what?" Renji whispered._

_He froze as he realized that he seemed to have invaded Wren's mind again. But try as he might, he couldn't break away, and instead, moaned loudly and raised his hips as she raised hers, rubbing harder against Byakuya._

_"Oh...oh gods!" they moaned together,, writhing against him, "Ah...ah, Byakuya!"_

_Renji yelped in surprise and intense pleasure as Byakuya's mouth began a slow, loving assault, and his fingers slid down and stimulated Wren's private area, causing an eruption of sensation in his own body. He felt Byakuya's fingers encounter something, and heard Wren swear._

_"Sorry...just, I fucking hate periods!"_

_Byakuya's lips smiled and found her earlobe._

_"They are an annoyance," he said softly, warming her ear and bringing an even deeper flush to her skin, "However, there are ways to work around it. But...I think I should ask first. Wren, do you have any issues about engaging in anal penetration?"_

_"Oh my kami!" Renji gasped, losing his breath as Wren said the words that exploded from his mind at the suggestion._

_"No! Oh my god, fuck no! Just...I can't wait anymore!"_

_Renji felt heat on his skin as Byakuya gave Wren an amused smile and leaned over her, kissing her hard, as his fingers moved down lower and carefully prepared her. Renji could barely hear her panting moans over his own, and he felt like his skin had caught fire. He could feel every bit of sensation, every hot touch, kiss and caress that made Renji's heart beat so fast, he thought that it would explode._

_"Oh fuck...it's been so long!" he groaned._

_But thinking about the last time he had had sex with another guy inflicted almost enough pain to interfere with the intense pleasure Byakuya was giving him through his lovemaking with Wren._

_"Why can't it be real?" he nearly sobbed, "Fuck...fuck...fuck! It feels so good!"_

_He could barely hear Wren anymore as he felt the heavy, passionate movements begin. He arched his back and felt the impact of Wren's body against Byakuya's. He gave himself over to the experience completely, gasping and panting as Byakuya's body brought Wren's, and by association, his, to the brink of madness. The three climaxed together, Wren and Renji emitting screams of pleasure as Byakuya gasped and shuddered, returning to Wren's panting mouth for a final flurry of kisses.._

Kisuke bit his lips hard, trying not to burst into laughter at Renji's very obvious sexual dream. But he paused, looking back at the displays and thinking about the oddness of it.

"Renji knew it wasn't real..." he muttered, tapping at the keyboard and studying the odd structure within his body.

His eyes widened as he noticed that the reiatsu had stopped flowing through the structure as soon as Renji had climaxed and fallen silent again.

"Oh...!" he gasped, fighting the intense urge to snicker, "Oh! I see!"


	9. Two Bodies, One Love

**Chapter 9: Two Bodies, One Love...**

**(Walkure's Birthday Present #3! Whew! I was a little stuck on this, but now it seems to be flowing. Hope you all enjoy! Love Spunky)**

Even as Byakuya slept, his mind worked tirelessly at the puzzle of warring emotions that afflicted him. It replayed their lovemaking repeatedly, and each time, brought him to the same confusing conclusion.

_I know in my mind that I was with her, but I didn't just see her face, hear her voice and feel her touch. It was like Renji was there too. It isn't just that they are alike, though alike they are. It is like they are one and the same person. I cannot feel for one without also feeling for the other. My heart does not separate the two._

_Why is that?_

_It was easy to fall in love with Wren. My heart read her quickly, and saw the things that I love so much in Renji. And she is female, which I thought was a dividing line between them. I am shocked to find that when thoughts of making love to Renji enter my mind, I embrace them as readily as my thoughts of being with Wren. I had no idea that I might have loved Renji...no, I do love Renji in that way._

_But my heart won't exclude Wren either. Still, I feel that there is something about her that needs a balance. And lately, I have felt the same about Renji._

He opened his eyes and looked at Wren in the halflight, enjoying the play of the moonlight across the bold tattoos that ran down her back and onto her lovely round bottom. He let his hands run lightly down her body, careful not to wake her. And oddly, though he did register her softness, the more pronounced curves of her body and the more feminine scent of her, he also felt Renji's leaner, more muscular form, sensed his stronger reiatsu, and picked up his more masculine scent.

_This is so confusing._

He slipped free of Wren and walked out into the gardens. Within moments, he stood in the new section, where he had been when he had given in to his desire to kiss Wren. But even as he remembered the moment, he remembered the feeling that Renji had been there also.

_I need to know why this is happening...why my emotions for them are getting so confused. I cannot say I love one more than the other, because they register as one in my heart. This makes no sense. I am going to have to force the issue with Renji. If he will not come back and face me, then I will go to him. There is something that explains all of this, and I will know the truth of it!_

XXXXXXXXXX

Kisuke bit at his lips as Renji moved sluggishly, groaning and squinting as he began to wake.

"That's right. Come on, wake up, Moocher. I know you'd sleep all day, but we have work to do, and with Captain Kuchiki chomping at the bit to get hold of you to ask questions, I don't think you have the luxury of being able to sleep in...know what I mean?"

"Ugh," groaned Renji, "I feel sick for real now."

"Come on," Kisuke laughed, nudging him, "I know your dreams were extra hot and you'd like to go back to them, but..."

"SHUT THE HELL UP!" Renji yelled, sitting up and blushing furiously as he remembered.

"Aww, hey, don't feel bad about it," Kisuke said, unable to tame his wide grin, "It happens to the best of us, ne? It's natural and..."

He broke off as Renji hurled a pillow at him.

"I thought you were gonna help Wren and me, but if all you wanna do is screw around, making fun of me, I have better fucking things to do!"

"Heheh," chortled Kisuke, "Like go and masturbate?"

"All right, that's it! I am...!"

"Hey, relax, okay?" Kisuke said, taking him by the arm.

Renji threw his hand off and started to climb out of the bed, but realized quickly that he was in his nightclothes, barefoot and had several electrodes still attached to his chest.

"Oh, s-sorry," said Kisuke, biting his lips to avoid laughing, "Let me get those for you, Renji"

"Leave me the hell alone you freak!" Renji snapped, batting his hand away, "I've had enough of you and your bullshit! Just back off! I'm going back to the Seireitei. You can call me when you're ready to do something besides fuck with me!"

"Hey, take it easy," said Kisuke, shaking his head and holding up his hands, "I was just teasing. Sorry, I know this is serious, and all joking aside, even though the middle of the night arousal..."

"Kisuke!"

"Sorry, Renji...okay, even though it was a little embarrassing for you, it was also revealing."

"Yeah. I'll bet! Damned pervert!"

Renji ripped an electrode off of his chest, then his eyes widened and he howled in pain and loosed a stream of obscenities.

"Oh...ouch, that's got to have hurt. Sorry, I should have warned you about that. Here, I can get the others off."

"Don't you fucking _touch_ me!" Renji snapped, swatting his hands away.

He yanked off another electrode and hissed more profanities.

"Really, I can get those off less painfully."

"Yeah, right!" Renji growled angrily, "Well, I don't feel like sitting here and being teased about something I have no goddamned control over! Guys _have_ wet dreams, you know? Even you have'em, so just shut up about it, okay?"

"Okay, look, I said I was sorry. And I found something out you really want to..."

"What? How fucking adorable I look with a full body blush? How long it takes for me to go from limp to..."

"Hey, I'm not kidding, Renj..."

"I told you," Renji yelled, "Leave me the hell alone! I am not interested in anything you have to say!"

"Well, it just so happens that _I _am," said Byakuya's solemn voice from the doorway.

Renji froze, still only half-covered, and his face nearly as white as the sheet that was still entangled with his body.

"Sh-shit..." he managed breathlessly, "C-captain."

Byakuya said nothing more, but crossed the laboratory and came to a stop in front of the redhead, his close proximity and the gentle breath of sakura around him making Renji's paleness disappear and sending a flush blazing across his exposed skin. Shaken and unable to make himself meet Byakuya's eyes directly, he gazed silently at the lovely windflower scarf that was at eye level, where he sat.

"Captain," he said again, dazedly.

He could feel Byakuya's eyes on his bowed head, but couldn't make himself look up. A moment later, his insides clenched and his heart quickened as Byakuya's warm, slender hand slipped under his chin and raised his eyes to meet the noble's. Byakuya kept their eyes locked as he spoke to Kisuke.

"Kisuke Urahara, I want you to tell me what is going on with my vice captain. I want you to tell me _everything_!"

Kisuke glanced at Renji and the redhead hesitated, then gave the ghost of a nod.

"All right...um...Renji showed up here the other day, telling me about something strange that had happened to him in Hueco Mundo."

"Hueco Mundo?" queried Byakuya, looking into Renji's eyes, "This was when I...?"

"You were sick, yeah," Renji said, taking over the telling, "I, ah, went to Hueco Mundo as ordered, and the battle was going fine. But, uh...all at once, this flying hollow came outta nowhere and picked me up and flung me out into the desert. He dropped me in a field of bones."

Byakuya's eyes widened as he realized the implications.

"I remember that there was this weird hollow...humanoid. When I hit him, he...split. His body became two. I didn't give it much thought, beyond getting the hell outta there. I thought maybe the splitting would continue and I would be facing an army of that kind of hollow...or something. I don't know. I was cut by him, but not seriously."

"I remember," said Byakuya, "But you lost consciousness."

"Yeah. And I was brought back to the fourth division. They cleaned up the wound, and they didn't see or sense much but a little hollow reiatsu around it. So, since I seemed fine, they released me. I went home and went to bed."

"And Wren arrived that night, ne?" said Byakuya.

"Well," said Renji, his chest constricting inside and making him feel like he couldn't breathe, "Not exactly."

"But she was there in the morning, when I arrived," Byakuya said, frowning, "When did she arrive at your apartment? Does she know anything about what is affecting you?"

"Well...yeah, she knows some, but...Captain..."

"Renji," said the noble, an edge of dangerous tension in his voice, "I am going to give you one more chance to tell me exactly what happened the night that Wren arrived. And if you engage in any more hedging or resistant behavior, I will contact the second division and allow Captain Soi Fon and her punishment force to interrogate you."

"Hey," said Kisuke, bracingly, "Go easy on the guy. Renji isn't really even sure of what happened to him. He isn't hedging. Just, some of it, he doesn't know."

"I know that I went to sleep alone that night," said Renji, "And while I was trying to sleep, some weird glowing light woke me once. But I wasn't awake enough to care about it. I just went back to sleep. And when I woke up..._she_...was there...naked...in bed...next to me."

"Wren was in your bed?" Byakuya said, his frown deepening, "Then, the story you told me...about her coming to your door, late at night, about the fire that destroyed her things, about the two of you being siblings..."

Renji lowered his eyes, but couldn't escape the noble's piercing gaze.

"It wasn't true...none of it," he admitted, his heart pounding.

Byakuya's eyes widened and his reiatsu swelled and pulsed painfully around Renji.

"You mean to tell me...that a complete stranger simply appeared in your bed, one whom you had no knowledge of whatsoever...and you not only didn't report it as required to the Gotei 13? You didn't even tell _me?_"

"Captain, I..."

"You _knew _that I took to her instantly...that I was interested in her! Did you think for a minute that if someone was trying to attempt to reach me, that the surest way to do so would be to go through someone I entrust my life to on a daily basis? That they would seek to use a family member or a close friend to reach me?"

_He thinks of me as a...close friend?_

_It's the first time that he's ever come out and said that..._

"Renji, if what you are telling me is true, then that girl I just went to bed with could be just about _anyone_!"

"Whoa!" said Kisuke, making a sudden connection, "Renji, does that mean that last night you..."

"Captain," said Renji, quickly cutting the scientist off, "Wren isn't my sister, but she also isn't some...spy or enemy, trying to get to you."

"No," said Wren, from the doorway, "I am not."

She walked into the room and sat down next to Renji.

"I don't know exactly what I am...but I do know that I am not your enemy, Captain Kuchiki," she said solemnly, slipping a hand into Renji's, "I think it has to do with that hollow that attacked us."

"Us?" repeated Byakuya, "That is an interesting choice of words, Wren. You act as though you were with Renji when it happened."

"That's because she was," said Kisuke, "Wren isn't Renji's sister, nor is she an enemy. From what I've divined from examining Renji, Wren and the corpse of the hollow that Captain Zaraki provided for us, Renji and Wren are essentially the same person."

"What?" queried the noble, a glimmer of comprehension rising in his eyes, "What are you telling me?"

"Renji and Wren are the same person," Kisuke repeated, "When Renji was attacked by the splitting hollow, he was infected with its reiatsu through the wound it gave him. It is my summation that this is a kind of attack it uses to dispatch enemies more easily. Come with me. I'll show you."

Renji and Wren stood and followed Byakuya and Kisuke to the next room, where the two halves of the hollow laid on examination tables. Kisuke sat down in front of a large computer console in front of the hollow and called up schematics of the hollow's two halves, and then Renji's.

"Look," said the shopkeeper, "You can see here that in both cases, there is one male half and one female half, ne?"

"And the male appears to carry the full strength of the spirit centers," Byakuya observed.

"While the female," Kisuke went on, "has very little reiatsu...essentially no powers."

"But, this is an attack?" mused Byakuya, "It still leaves at least the male portion at nearly full strength...although separating the body must interfere with the use of the zanpakutou."

"But this hollow doesn't rely on his zanpakutou when using this ability."

"Does it, perhaps, split off pieces at a time and wear the enemy down that way?" asked Byakuya.

"Actually," said Kisuke, "Captain Zaraki discovered that if you kill the female portion of the hollow, the male portion dies with it. You can see here that the female was obviously killed by a sword, while the male's body is fine...fine, but just as dead as the female. It's my conclusion, then, that this hollow splits the enemy and attacks the weaker part. The two parts don't know right away what happened, and so the stronger male assumes that since that female look-alike just appeared during the battle, it is an enemy. He might dispatch it himself, or if more cautious, simply force it away and focus attention on the hollow. It is unlikely it would occur to him that there was a need to protect it...if he wasn't able to recognize it as a part of himself."

"Nasty little bastard!" Renji said, sounding disgusted.

"So...this hollow," Kisuke went on, "cut Renji, and was likely not expecting Renji to escape so quickly. It seems that if kept in battle, the raised reiatsu causes the splitting to occur more quickly. Renji escaped quickly and calmed down, so it took longer for him to split. He woke in two pieces, with no idea what had been done to him."

"We realized pretty quickly that we both had my past memories, my experiences, and that Wren didn't seem to have her own."

"Because, being the same person," Byakuya concluded, "You actually had the same past."

"Yes," Kisuke answered, "Wren was part of Renji, the gentler, more emotive side."

"She didn't seem gentler to me," Renji said, shaking his head, "She tried to beat the hell out of me."

"And because you are a powerful fighter," mused Kisuke, "I'd say she probably made an impression."

"Yeah," said Renji, blushing, "she might not have powers, but she does know how to compensate with her hakudo skills."

"But even if all you say is true," said Byakuya, "It seems an awkward method of attack for this hollow..."

"Well," said Kisuke, "Renji informed me that the hollow split immediately. It also knew what was happening, unlike Renji, and it knew to protect the separated piece of itself. That gave it some advantage...though apparently not enough to save it from Captain Zaraki's marauding blade."

"Was Captain Zaraki cut by the hollow?" asked Byakuya.

"No," Kisuke answered, chuckling, "Otherwise we'd have a male _and _a _female_ Zaraki, running around Soul Society and killing everything in sight. And who needs that, ne?"

"So, you have established that killing the hollow will not reverse the splitting effect?" asked Byakuya.

"That's right," said Kisuke, "And since this hollow's dead, I can't observe how they put _themselves_ back together, let alone how to put Renji back into one piece."

"Troubling," whispered Byakuya, shaking his head.

"I have some ideas I'm working on. I'm looking over the schematics of the four and studying the data I've collected. But while I do that, Renji needs to make sure that he and Wren stick together...erm, stay close to each other."

"They are staying at Kuchiki Manor," Byakuya replied, "And now that I know what is going on, I will make certain that they are properly protected."

He turned to look at Renji and Wren.

"I will not make an immediate report on this," he told them, "I want Kisuke to have time to come up with a way to handle this without getting that sadistic fool from the twelfth division involved."

"Aw, Captain Kurotsuchi's not so bad," Kisuke chuckled, "Not as long as you watch your back and don't eat or drink anything he offers you...oh, and you don't breathe the air around him, look into his eyes or leave any part of your skin uncovered."

"That guy is the scariest, most perverted creep to ever wear a haori!" complained Renji, "I'd kill myself before trusting him to 'help' me!"

"I imagined you would feel that way," said Byakuya, "Thus, my offer to see to you until Kisuke has concluded his research."

"All right," said the shopkeeper, "I have what I need, for now. I'll just spin the information through the grinder and see what I get. I'll be in touch. You kids take care of yourselves...and play nice..."

The three left the laboratory, and Byakuya and Wren waited in the hallway as Renji changed back into his uniform, then joined the other two for the walk back to the manor. They exchanged only necessary words on the trip back, letting what they had learned from Kisuke settle in their minds.

_I'm just glad Kisuke didn't spill the information about me also receiving Wren's sensory input, _thought Renji, _It's embarrassing enough with just him and me knowing about it. And...if he isn't able to put me back together, something like that would make things horribly awkward._

He barely noticed as they passed through the manor gates and into the gardens. Byakuya led them out the back gate and up the forest trail to a quiet cliff, overlooking a large waterfall that tumbled down into a lake, then opened into a wide meadow beyond. The three sat down beneath a sakura tree and looked out over the meadow. Renji searched his mind for something to say to either Byakuya or Wren and couldn't think of a thing. Wren seemed equally tongue tied and Byakuya seemed to be deep in thought. When Byakuya did speak, his words took both Renji and Wren by surprise.

"Renji...Wren," he said quietly, "I have a confession to make."

The two gave him the same, wide-eyed, questioning look, making the noble catch his breath softly.

"This situation is terribly unfortunate, and I wish it had not happened," he went on, "However, one truth has come out of it, that I cannot deny."

"What's that?" Renji and Wren said together.

The two looked at each other and chuckled.

"I have fallen in love with Wren, but...the reason I fell for her so easily...is because..."

Renji's smile faded as Byakuya paused and lowered his eyes, his cheeks coloring slightly.

"It is because...I was already in love with Renji."

The redhead inhaled sharply, nearly choking.

"But...," Byakuya went on, "I would never have known that, if Wren hadn't come to be!"

"So...you are saying...?" Renji began.

"I am saying that I am in love...with both parts of you...with all of you!"

"_Holy shit_..." Renji and Wren breathed together.


	10. The Mystery Inside

**Chapter 10: The Mystery Inside**

**(Hey Walkure! Here's your much longed for update, and yes, I will have more for you very soon! *hugs*)**

_"I am saying that I am in love...with both parts of you...with all of you!"_

_"Holy shit..." Renji and Wren breathed together._

"I do not wish to cause discord between you," Byakuya said, looking from Wren's shocked face to Renji's, "but I feel that it is best to be honest."

His eyes locked on Renji's.

"That is what caused me to suddenly kiss you the other day at the division."

"You kissed him?" Wren asked, looking hurt.

"Y-yes," Byakuya confessed, "You have to understand, I did not set out to. I thought I was clear in that my feelings were for you alone, Wren. But, when we were together..."

He paused for a moment, searching for the right words.

"I..._felt_ Renji's presence too...as though he was with us and part of our lovemaking."

"But," Wren objected, "If Renji was somehow 'with' us and you sensed it, then why didn't we?"

Renji bit his lip forcibly and kept silent, carefully avoiding eye contact with either of the two.

"Perhaps because his reiatsu and yours are the same, it would be easier for me to notice," the noble suggested.

"I guess that's possible," sighed Wren, "It's just so...weird!"

"I do not think so," said Byakuya, looking from one to the other again, "The two of you are really meant to be one. It is unnatural for you to be separated. So, maybe this is the way that your souls reach out to each other and try to be one, even though you are in two bodies."

"But the important question is, what do we do about it?" Renji said, frowning.

He flinched in surprise as Byakuya captured his hand, then lightly caught Wren's.

"Well, I am going to assume that eventually you will be reintegrated, and you will be one person again," said the noble, "But, while you are separated, it doesn't seem fair to choose one of you over the other, especially when I am sensing both of you when we are together."

He read Renji's expression and sighed softly, then continued.

"There is also the problem that while Wren seems to embrace a closeness with me, Renji, you seem to have reservations. Why?"

"Ah...Captain."

"Byakuya."

"_Byakuya_," Renji corrected himself, "this is all just going kinda fast. I'm not saying that I don't have feelings for you. But, ah, there are some things I have to work out in my head. I'm not trying to..."

"You don't have to explain," Byakuya said sympathetically, "I understand if this is all confusing to you, and you need some time to think things through. In fact," he said, smirking, "The idea of you stopping to think before acting is so unusual, I find it oddly endearing."

"Great," Renji laughed sarcastically, "I'm so glad I could amuse you."

"Renji," the noble said, making the redhead meet his eyes again, "I did not mean to offend you. In any case, it looks as though we have time while Kisuke Urahara conducts his research. Give whatever consideration that you need to things and we can come back to this once the situation and possible options become clear."

"Thanks, Byakuya," Renji said, lowering his eyes, "Thanks for understanding."

He took a breath and sighed softly.

"Captain, I need to ask a favor."

"What is it, Renji?"

The redhead met his eyes hesitantly.

"Captain, because I need to give this some thought, and also because I have lost my connection to Zabimaru, I'm going to need some time off to, you know, deal with things."

Byakuya nodded in agreement.

"I think it is best if you take some leave. I will speak to Captain Unohana and get a short medical leave cleared. Do not worry. I will not reveal your situation."

"Thank you," Renji said, looking relieved.

"But Renji," the noble went on, "You will need to remain here at the manor and close to Wren, as you have been instructed."

"Yeah, I got that. I just...I'll need some time alone to think things through."

"Of course," said Byakuya, "I will not interfere with you while you consider things."

"Okay," said Renji, "so, is there somewhere private I can go to do this thinking?"

"Yes, there are your guest quarters, and also you may walk in the gardens, or out the back gate and to the right. Take whatever time you need, Renji."

Renji nodded and turned away, but stopped as Wren spoke up.

"Renji, I, um...I need to talk to you about something."

"Heh," Renji chuckled half-heartedly, "Well, I guess being a part of me, I can hardly claim to need to get away from you, right?"

"Renji..."

"Sorry," the redhead said unhappily, "Come on. We can talk and then you can come back here to be with Byakuya. I know you'll want to spend what time you can with him while we're...like this."

Wren gave him a stricken look.

"Th-thank you for understanding," she said, her eyes growing sad, "But if you are not sure you are going to want to see Byakuya romantically, it doesn't seem right to...continue things."

"Wren is right," Byakuya said quietly.

"Look," Renji said, shaking his head, "You two may not have a lot of time, but you have _some_ time, and that's a helluva lot more than some other people get. I don't mind if you're together. And...I never said that I wasn't interested in seeing Byakuya romantically later. I just said that I have some things to think about...to work out."

"But I still need to talk to you," Wren objected.

"Well, then," said the noble, "I have some things to see to. Why don't the two of you talk, and I will see you at dinner later?"

Wren and Renji nodded, and Byakuya couldn't help but smile at the similarity in their responses. He watched as they crossed the gardens and walked out the back gate. After they had disappeared from sight, he turned and headed back inside.

"So what are you all up in arms about?" Renji inquired as they walked along the forest trail, "I told you it's okay for you to see Byakuya. Isn't that what you wanted?"

"Renji," Wren said in a low, unhappy voice, "You have to remember, I am a part of you, and I am probably going to be merged with you again. I can't be selfish and just think about me, I have to think about you too...us, and what we'll be like when we are put back together. And you and I both know that what happened with Masato made it really hard for you...us...to trust nobles."

"Well, not you so much," Renji commented, "I wonder why that is. You're more emotional than me. Shouldn't that mean that you would be the one with the hang ups about the past?"

"I don't know," admitted Wren, "I don't understand, myself, why I can let go of all that and trust him like I do. I just..._know_ that he won't hurt us."

"Ah," said Renji, comprehension rising in his eyes, "It's an emotional decision. I guess I'm stuck with just looking at what Masato did and deciding it's not worth the risk to go through all of that again."

"Renji, what are you talking about?" Wren said, shaking her head, "You _know_ Byakuya. You know him better than anyone. And yeah, he hurt us before. But there were reasons why that happened that have nothing to do with why Masato was such an asshole to us. You just have to look at how different they are. Can't you do that?"

"Y-yeah...no...I don't know," Renji said, spotting a large rock beneath a sakura tree, at the side of a stream and sitting down, "I can tell myself to do it, but acting that way in the moment is another thing. I just have these flashes that happen. Like when Byakuya kissed me. I went straight back to..._that_! I didn't mean to. It just jumped into my head."

Wren sat down next to Renji and slipped a soft hand into his.

"Renji, you don't have to let your instincts get the best of you. Think of it like this. I know some of the hollows we've fought have scared the hell out of you, right?"

"Yeah," Renji sighed, "Some."

"But even though they can be scary as hell, we still go out and fight them, right?"

Renji swallowed hard, a strangely intense feeling of loss coming over him as he thought of Zabimaru.

"Yeah...well, when we have our zanpakutou we do."

"This is just like that, only instead of slaying hollows, we're falling in love."

"Huh," Renji grunted non-committally, "Those hollows don't have the ability to take your heart and bust it to pieces...I mean figuratively."

"No," Wren chuckled, "They do it for real. But you get what I mean. I know you do."

"Yeah," Renji admitted reluctantly, "but knowing it and living it are two different things."

He opened his mouth to say more, then paused uncertainly as a wave of nausea passed over him and his face paled.

"Renji?" Wren queried, gazing at him curiously, "Are you all right?"

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine," Renji sighed, trying to brush the feeling aside.

He leaned forward and gathered water into one curled hand, then sipped at it as Wren watched quietly.

"You don't look so fine," she commented.

"Yeah, well I am, so leave off, will you?" Renji complained, "I'm probably getting that stupid flu that captain had or something."

"Well, if you're sick, then we should go back," Wren said, standing.

"Fine, whatever," Renji grumbled, getting up.

He pushed away the instant feeling of dizziness and forced himself into a walk, not noticing as Wren stopped and said something, her voice disappearing into the harsh buzzing in his head.

"Renji!"

Wren watched in dismay as the redhead swayed unsteadily and dropped to the ground.

"Renji!"

XXXXXXXXXX

Renji felt the haze around him begin to clear and heard a male voice call his name. Recognition seemed to require too much effort, so he settled for just sinking into the comforting voice and letting it carry him back off into oblivion. He wasn't sure how long he remained there, drifting weightlessly and not giving two shits if he ever woke up. But suddenly, the man's voice sounded again, and he could feel that someone was sitting behind him, with his arms curled around him. The person's hands rested on his abdomen, and a warm flow of reiatsu between them soothed away the discomfort that had led to his collapse.

"C-captain?" he murmured questioningly, "What are you...?"

"Be quiet and hold still. I am stabilizing your reiatsu," Byakuya said, his hair tickling the redhead's shoulder and his light sakura scent teasing Renji's senses.

"Stabilizing," Renji mumbled, "Why? Did something happen? What's going on?"

"I told you to be quiet," the noble repeated, "We will explain it to you later. Just rest for a while."

As weary as he felt, it was easy to accept the words, and Renji relaxed in Byakuya's comforting arms and drifted off again. He lost all awareness for a time, and only heard a soft mental buzzing that made his mind drift aimlessly as he slept. He woke again to find himself tucked warmly into bed, but sat up and looked around, experiencing a moment of uncertainty before realizing that he wasn't at Kuchiki Manor, or even in the Seireitei.

_I'm at Urahara's place? How did I get here?_

"Are you feeling better now?" Kisuke's voice asked from the doorway.

Renji sighed and rubbed his hands over his face as the shopkeeper entered the room, followed by Byakuya, and an unnerved looking Wren.

"Actually, I feel kinda like I just got the shit kicked outta me, but other than feeling like I need to puke my guts out, I can't complain," Renji muttered.

"Ah, he has regained his charming sense of humor too," Kisuke chuckled good naturedly, "Tessai is bringing some ginger tea that ought to soothe your insides. But you need to stay conscious this time."

"This time?" Renji asked, scowling, "What the hell are you talking about? What's going on?"

"Well," said the shopkeeper, "Truth is, I have not a clue as to why you lost consciousness and drifted in and out for the past three days, but..."

"Whoa! What? Three days?" Renji exclaimed, putting a hand to his aching head, "I was out for three days?"

"You scared me to death!" Wren complained, "We were just talking and you suddenly collapsed. I got Byakuya to come and he brought clan healers, but they couldn't figure out what was happening, so we brought you here on Tetsuya's horse."

"I ran every damned test I could think of," Kisuke went on, "but all I could determine was that your reiatsu was destabilizing. I don't know what threw it for a loop, but for a while, it was 'off the charts' crazy, fluctuating all over the place. And we figured out kinda by accident that when Byakuya comes near you, reiatsu seems to be flowing between the two of you."

"Between...Captain and _me_?" queried Renji, "What the hell is _that_ all about?"

"I'm not sure," Kisuke admitted, "But it has something to do with a strange, concave structure in your body, in your lower abdomen. When your reiatsu destabilizes, he flows his reiatsu into that area, and it gathers near that structure and causes a balancing of your own reiatsu. There seems to be a cluster of energies that resonates with both of you, but I can't even begin to figure out what it is."

"Well, can't you do anything about it?" Renji asked anxiously, "Is it dangerous? Can't you just take that concave thingy out of me?"

"It's not that simple," explained the shopkeeper, "You see, I still don't know exactly what that thing is, or what it's supposed to do."

"Gods! It could be anything, right?" Renji exclaimed, looking alarmed, "For all we know, it's some kind of ticking time bomb or something that's going to..."

"Hey," Kisuke said bracingly, "it doesn't seem to be doing anything dangerous. And even though it's collecting reiatsu, it's staying relatively stable in size. It doesn't look threatening."

"Oh, it doesn't look threatening," Renji repeated sarcastically, "Well, excuse me if I'm not all that reassured by that. Geez, we are talking about a freaky _hollow_ here that has majorly fucked with my body!"

"Oh!" said Kisuke, "I meant to ask, have you had sex or masturbated recently?"

Renji's eyes blazed and his reiatsu flared hotly.

"Are you _really_ asking me that in front of my captain and my...my...female self?" he demanded, "Goddamned pervert! And no! I haven't been screwed and I haven't jacked off, okay? Got any other stupid questions?"

"When was the last time you _did_ have sex?"

"You mean, other than in that damned wet dream I had before?" Renji snapped irascibly, "I don't know...a _pathetically long time_! What the hell does _that_ have to do with anything?"

"Oh, nothing," said Kisuke, "I just wondered...because of the weird reiatsu flow that happened that night and the sexual nature of what you dreamed about..."

"Hey, do we _really _have to talk about this right in front of them? It's damned embarrassing!"

"Why would you be embarrassed in front of me?" Wren asked, crossing her arms, "It's not like there's anything about you that's news to me."

"R-right, well..."

"And, as your captain, I need to be kept apprised of your condition," Byakuya added.

"Fine, whatever! Then, have him give you regular reports, but just get out of here because it's bugging the hell out of me, being looked at like some fucking _bug_ under a microscope!"

"Calm down, will you," Kisuke said, shaking his head, "You're going to get your testosterone level jacked up, and then your reiatsu's going to destabilize again."

"Sounds like you know a lot, for a guy who just said he doesn't know what the hell is going on!" Renji snapped.

"I don't know what's going on, okay," said the shopkeeper, "but I have this feeling that...the weird dreams and reiatsu flows, the imbalance of your reiatsu, that device in your body, the fainting and physical effects...it's all leading up to something, but there's just...this piece missing."

"Great!" Renji said sarcastically, climbing to his feet and shaking off Byakuya's staying hand, "Well, when you do figure out what the hell is wrong with me and how to put me back together, you know where to find me!"

"Renji!" Kisuke objected as the redhead took a step, then stopped and went pale.

Kisuke, Wren and Byakuya stared in dismay as the redhead swayed on his feet, then collapsed in a heap on the floor.

"Well," chuckled the shopkeeper, "He's right about that. We _do_ know where to find him..."


	11. Thorn in My Heart

**Chapter 11: Thorn in My Heart**

**(For Walkure...sorry for the reeeeeallly looooooong wait for this! *hugs* and hope you feel better. Love Spunky)**

Renji heard the sound of the bedroom door opening and stirred sluggishly, opening one red-brown eye and fixing it on the man who had entered the room. He watched as the shopkeeper carried a tray to his bedside, waited quietly as Renji sat up, then set the tray in his lap.

"Thanks," the redhead said sleepily, beginning to eat as Kisuke sat down next to the bed.

"You're welcome," Kisuke answered, watching in silence for a few moments as Renji ate.

"How long was I out this time?" the redhead asked.

"Only two days," the shopkeeper reported, "And the good news is that while you were out this time, I was able to figure out how to instruct Captain Kuchiki to direct his reiatsu more efficiently, so that your reiatsu would remain stable for longer."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning that instead of needing those reiatsu infusions every day, you will probably be able to go for a week or so before needing another."

"Okay."

The redhead went quiet for a time, looking down at his hands and letting the reality of his situation sink in. Kisuke met his eyes again with a look that told Renji that not everything he had found was good.

"So...there's more, right?" Renji asked, just wanting the worst to become a known quantity, "You're going to tell me there's something weird about that reiatsu thingy inside of me, right?"

Kisuke's expression answered the question before the shopkeeper said a word.

"Kisuke," Renji said softly, "Is that thing going to kill me? Is it going to take over my body or something? What is it?"

"I still don't know what it is," Kisuke confessed, "And I don't know what it will do."

"Great," Renji sighed, "Is there anything that you fucking do know?"

"I know that something has to be done while I study this. And we are talking about for a long time. Some of the studies I'm conducting will be done in days, some in weeks. But a couple of them are studies that will take several years."

Renji released a soft sigh, closing his eyes and setting the tray on the nightstand.

"So...this is the way things will be for a long time, right?" he queried.

"Yeah."

"Where are Captain and Wren?"

"Byakuya had to go back to the Seireitei to handle something for the head captain. Wren went back with him. She said that she figured you'd want time to mull things over. But...while they're gone, there's something that I need to talk over with you...something you didn't want those two to know about your condition. And as much as I know you'll be annoyed having to talk about it, it's part of the investigation and it's something else we need to unravel."

"You know that when they had sex, I was aware of it," Renji said, cutting to the chase.

"You weren't just aware of it," Kisuke went on, "Renji, you were part of it."

"What?" the redhead said, frowning, "What does that mean? I was a part of it? I mean, I was here the whole time. How could I be? What the hell are you talking about?"

"There was a reiatsu flow coming into the lab while you were sleeping that time."

"A...reiatsu flow?"

"Yeah. I captured some of that, at the time, and I have been analyzing it. I determined that some of the reiatsu was Wren's and some was Byakuya's."

Renji's eyes widened.

"Wh-what the...?"

"Those combined reiatsus traveled into your body, guided, it seems, by that concave structure inside you. And after, the reaitsus formed a single cluster, one that is now fed when Captain Kuchiki bonds with you."

"F-fed, you say..."

"Yeah. I don't know for sure. But that reiatsu seems dependent on you."

Renji stared at the other man in silence.

"It has Byakuya's reiatsu and Wren's combined...and it is being 'matured' in your body. And I can't tell you what will happen when it reaches maturity...only that it looks like something more has to happen before it does."

"So, what the hell do we do while you figure it out?" Renji asked softly, "What am I supposed to do while those studies are being done?"

"There's only one way to ensure that there is time to finish the studies and take decisive action before the cluster in you matures. And, because I have no choice, I have already taken that action."

Renji turned his head to look out the window.

"And that was?"

"I sealed your powers and the structure's, so that everything is frozen. You don't have any reiatsu flow...no powers until this is over."

He watched as the redhead quietly absorbed the words, then sighed in acceptance and closed his eyes.

"I've placed a special mod soul inside you so that you have enough reiatsu to function...so you can return to Soul Society. But you cannot, if you go back, allow the Gotei 13 to learn what is wrong with you. Captain Unohana already knows, but she's deferring to me. She won't report it, but...you have to keep other people from finding out. I'm gonna send a report to the fourth division, saying that that you were injured in a skirmish here, and you are recovering. She's going to confirm that she sent Hanatarou to 'examine' you and he will report back that you are going to be fine, but your powers have been affected. It'll be reported as a 'temporary situation.' That will get you the medical leave without the suspicion."

"Right," Renji said defeatedly, "Whatever. just do what you've gotta do. Looks like there's no choice."

"Hey," Kisuke said bracingly, "Keep your chin up, Renji. I'm going to get to the bottom of this, and you are going to be just fine."

"Yeah, I know. It just...sucks right now. I hate being in two pieces, especially when one of those pieces is starting things that I don't think I can't finish."

Kisuke met his eyes sympathetically.

"You mean, what Wren and Captain Kuchiki have going on, ne? But, I thought you had feelings for him too. I mean, Wren is a part of you."

"Uh-huh. Yeah. And I admit, I do feel something for him. But you know, there are reasons why I never let it out. Wren doesn't put those limitations on herself. And when we're reintegrated, I don't think I'm gonna be any more likely to feel comfortable having a relationship with him. I just...there's too much reason it's a bad idea."

"Why is that?"

"Come on, Kisuke. you know his clan will be all up in arms about him seeing a guy. They're probably only not shitting bricks over him seeing Wren because she's a girl, and they probably figure a mongrel heir is better than no heir, right?"

"Huh," huffed Kisuke, smirking, "I think you don't give Captain Kuchiki enough credit. He may have lost some of his moxy over the years because of all that happened with his wife. But he still finds a way to skirt the rules when he wants to. And I know what I saw when he was here."

"Yeah," sighed Renji, "He's really attracted to her. I know that."

"Her?" Kisuke repeated, frowning, "I was talking about the concern he had for _you_, baka! Of course, he is very attentive with your lady half..."

"Kisuke..."

"Sorry, but it's true, buddy. Byakuya is not even trying very hard to conceal it. He's attracted to both parts of you...all of you, Renji. You might want to think about that with all the free time you've got, because, honestly? Captain Kuchiki hasn't shown anything close to that much emotion for another person since his wife passed. And whatever reservations you have about him, you oughta think about the ones that he had to overcome before he could fall for you."

Renji gave the shopkeeper a stricken look and deflated even more.

"Shit...I never even really gave that much thought. I mean, I know he really must have loved her, to go and search for Rukia like he did after she was gone."

"You've got that right," Kisuke affirmed, "Yoruichi used to sneak back into the Seireitei to check up on him. I guess she always had a soft spot for him, because she used to tease him so much and he was a feisty little brat. It was hard for her to watch him go through that and have to hold back from going to comfort him."

"Don't you mean 'going back to torment him?'" Renji laughed half-heartedly, "Kisuke, I hear what you're saying. And you're right. Captain Kuchiki has as much reason as I do to want to hold back from us getting involved. But he's dealt with those feelings and isn't..."

"Yeah," Kisuke agreed, "He dealt with them, and he was so drawn to you that he took a pretty big risk, a chance he wouldn't have before."

"Yeah, you're right."

Renji went quiet, picking idly at the food on his tray, but feeling too sick inside to eat.

"You need to keep up the little reiatsu that you've got," the shopkeeper told him, "Finish that up. Then you can rest some more before going back."

Renji didn't answer, but gave a sigh of resignation and continued eating. He watched out of the corner of an eye as Kisuke left the room, then listened for several minutes to make sure that the shopkeeper was not coming back. Finally, he slipped out of the bed, leaving his nearly untouched food tray on the nightstand. He found his shihakushou and dressed, then climbed out the window and crept away.

His head bent in concentration, Renji opened a senkaimon and passed over into Soul Society. He paused, short of the main Seireitei gates, gazing in the direction of Kuchiki Manor, before shaking his head in frustration and turning towards the Rukongai. So deep in thought that he was barely in control of his steps anymore, he traversed the dusty roadways through the upper and middle districts, before angling towards the very poorest towns that stood in the lower Rukongai.

_What am I doing down here again?_

_I guess it fits since I don't have any powers anymore. My soul broken in half. No reiatsu. No zanpakutou. No place in the Gotei 13. And who knows how long it will be...or if I'll even get my powers back. _

_Yeah...I fit in here again._

He proceeded down the street, avoiding the weary and hopeless eyes of the street folk, sighing inwardly at the sight of the groups of children roaming about together and looking for vendors who could be easily distracted so that they could steal their next meal.

_Lucky for me, I don't need to eat. No reiatsu. No hunger. Great._

He felt tears threaten as he tried to remember the last time he had felt power running through his veins, the last time he'd felt normal...the last time he'd heard the voices of the spirits in his zanpakutou.

"Zabimaru," he whispered, wondering sadly, if he would ever hear their voices again.

"What are _you_ doing here?" asked a chillingly familiar voice, "Visiting your old mongrel friends? No, wait, they're all dead, aren't they?"

Renji stared, unable to make sense of what he was seeing. Then, his features darkened malevolently.

"I might ask you the same thing," he answered in a low, growling voice, "Why would someone like you ever set foot in this place..._Masato?_"

XXXXXXXXXX

Byakuya felt his mind wandering and lifted his eyes to look at Renji's too clean desk and empty chair. The silence in the sixth division office seemed oppressive without Renji's intermittent sighs, sniffs, shifting of papers and occasional questions. He tried to ignore the situation, but as he worked, he found it harder and harder to concentrate, until he could stand it no more. He finished the last of the most critical tasks and uncharacteristically left several reports in his inbox for the next day.

He left the office and stood just outside for a moment, glancing first in the direction of Kuchiki Manor, where Wren was probably sharing dinner with Rukia, then in the direction of the central senkaimon. After several minutes of thinking about it, he turned towards the senkaimon.

_I meant to give Renji some space, but I am concerned he is growing too distant. And the message from Kisuke Urahara said that he did not take the latest news well at all._

He thought about the connotations of that and flash stepped faster. He reached the central senkaimon and passed through, barely hearing the Seireitei guards' greetings as he went by. He traversed the precipice world, still at flash step speed, his heart strangely unsettled, and his mind unable to stop seeing Renji's distressed expression. Renji's words, too, seemed to echo oddly in his mind. It was almost as though he could feel the cadence of Renji's aching heart throbbing in his own chest.

_I wonder what this feeling is..._

The doorway into the living world loomed up before him, and he passed through it and flash stepped down into Kisuke Urahara's underground training area. He touched down in the soft sand, watching as Kisuke paused in the midst of Ichigo Kurosaki's training and gazed at him questioningly.

"I need to speak to Renji," he said simply.

"I thought you and Wren were going to give him some time alone here," Kisuke answered, studying the noble's agitated eyes and lightly sweating form, "Did something happen?"

"I do not know," Byakuya confessed, "I just...had a feeling. Something seems wrong."

"Must have been some feeling, to make you drop everything and burn your thrusters, getting here at top speed."

"I think you exaggerate," the noble said stiffly, causing the shopkeeper to narrow his eyes and shake his head dismissively.

"Really," he muttered, turning back to Ichigo, "Why don't you practice those combinations we were working while I go and take care of this."

"Sure," Ichigo said, nodding, "But, Byakuya, would you like some talking to Renji? Maybe I could talk some sense into him for you."

"Thank you," Byakuya said, catching the substitute shinigami by surprise with the genuine sentiment in his voice, "However, I think that this is something I can handle, Ichigo."

"Sure. Okay," said the younger man, turning back to his practice, "But let me know if he gives you any trouble. I'll come and kick his ass around and tell him what an idiot he's being. It'll be good payback for when he did that to me."

"Hmmm..."

Byakuya followed Kisuke back up into the shop and down the hallway to Renji's room. They paused outside for a moment.

"You were right," Byakuya said softly, "His reiatsu is so low that it almost seems as though he is not there."

"Well, it was either seal his powers away, or whatever that thing is was going to mature. And we don't want that to happen until we know what it is and how it works. There is a lot riding on this."

"I am aware," Byakuya assured him.

He placed a hand on the door and pushed it open gently, his frown deepening as he looked inside and found the room empty.

"Oh boy," sighed Kisuke, shaking his head, "This is _not_ good...really not good."

"Where is he?" Byakuya asked, staring.

"What does it look like," Kisuke asked shortly, "The guy flew the coop."

"What? Why would he do that? Wren and I left...to give him some time to think."

"Yeah?" said Kisuke, "Well, it looks to me like he didn't just need time, but wanted some space too."

"Why would he need to do that?" Byakuya asked blankly, "We weren't planning to bother him..."

"Don't you get it?" Kisuke asked, sighing and shaking his head, "He's scared, Captain Kuchiki. I'd say he's really freaked out. Add to that, his depression over his situation and you get one volatile, confused, runaway redhead."

"I need to find him," Byakuya said, his eyes darkening, "Someone has to talk some sense into him. This can't go on like this!"


	12. Leaving the Past Behind

**Chapter 12: Leaving the Past Behind**

**(For the lovely Walkure and for the sweet, enthusiastically waiting JuneDelph! Enjoy!)**

_"What are __you__ doing here?" asked a chillingly familiar voice, "Visiting your old mongrel friends? No, wait, they're all dead, aren't they?"_

_Renji stared, unable to make sense of what he was seeing. Then, his features darkened malevolently._

_"I might ask you the same thing," he answered in a low, growling voice, "Why would someone like you ever set foot in this place...__Masato?__"_

The handsome, black-haired noble shrugged, as though it was of little concern to him.

"All of the noble families feel the need to offer some stray bits to the 'have nots' now and then," he said off-handedly, "I am just doing my part...the same as your filthy, peasant-loving captain."

Masato caught his breath in surprise as Renji's hand shot out and grabbed the front of his expensive, red and black kimono. He yanked the other man towards him, his lips curling back in an enraged snarl as he unleashed a furious, hissing rebuke.

"Don't you _dare_ to speak that way about Byakuya!" he snapped, shaking the other man, "You wanna piss on me because you think you're better than me, then _fine_, go ahead. But you'll show fucking respect for that man or I will make you regret it!"

"Get your putrid, _unworthy_ paws off of me, mongrel!" Masato fumed, shoving the redhead hard, and employing a flash of reiatsu to add force.

He stared in surprise as Renji's body tumbled to the ground and rolled away, then crashed into the shoddy, patched wall of a dilapidated building. The redhead reeled as he made his way onto his hands and knees, then glared at the noble as he started forward.

"What is wrong with you, Renji?" Masato asked, frowning, "I know that shouldn't have been more than a slap in the face to you. What happened to you?"

"What the fuck do you care?" Renji steamed, "You don't give a shit about me anyway. So just get the hell away from me!"

"But you're obviously hurt," the noble objected, looking down at his hands for a moment, "And while I didn't feel so badly about abandoning the strong person you were, to see you like this is...unsettling. Come, at least let me take you to a healer. You may not like me, but surely you can see that it's not sensible for you to remain here."

"I'll do the deciding about what's sensible and not sensible for me!" Renji shouted furiously, "You gave up all rights to tell me what to do when you used me for sex and then walked all over me, you bastard!"

Masato's look of concern gave way to an expression of rising anger. He gathered a ball of kido around his hands and closed in on the redhead, meeting his eyes sternly.

"Learn your place, mongrel!" the noble said coldly, "The only reason I am going to knock you out and help you is because we once were lovers. If not for that, I would let you die right here."

"Just don't touch me and get the hell away from me! I'm not going anywhere with you, you lying piece of shit!"

"That's it," Masato hissed, his body glowing with rage, "I will save you right now, only so that I can make you pay for your insolence Renji. You were always too opinionated for your own good. That's part of the reason why I let you go."

"Oh?" Renji said, biting down angrily on the words, "What's the other reason...because you are a complete bastard?"

"That is enough, you insignificant little toad! You are about to be put in your place!"

He froze, staring, as a strong hand wrapped around his wrist and a chillingly calm male voice spoke into his ear.

"Get away from him. And do not ever lay your hands on him again, or you will deal with me!"

Masato glared at the Kuchiki heir hatefully, but pulled his hand free and backed away.

"Go on, then," Masato said icily, "Enjoy your mongrel lover, then. I certainly did. He may be brainless, but he was a lot of fun for a while."

He disappeared in a swift flash step, leaving Byakuya gazing down at Renji's kneeling form.

"Get up," he said sternly.

"What?" Renji asked, frowning.

"I said, get up. You are a disgrace, kneeling like that. Even powerless, you should have more pride than that. Get up, Renji!"

"Fine. Whatever," the redhead sighed, climbing to his feet, then keeping his eyes lowered.

Byakuya gazed at him for a moment, then seemed to come to a decision.

"Come with me."

Renji opened his mouth to argue, then closed it again, seeing the muted fury in his captain's dark eyes. He followed wordlessly as Byakuya led him to the town healer's home and cooperated quietly as the healer addressed the minor injuries he had sustained. The healer left them alone in one of the bedrooms, with a serving of hot soup and tea and an admonishment to rest. Renji sighed and stared down into the soup bowl, having no idea what to say. But Byakuya wasted no time in getting to the point.

"What did you think you were doing?" he asked, his voice icily calm, but an edge of anger beneath it, "It was reckless to leave Urahara's shop and come down this way, especially alone, while in your condition. What were you thinking?"

Renji kept his eyes lowered, unable to meet Byakuya's piercing gaze.

"I just needed to think. You know, it's been a little confusing, being literally 'of two minds.'"

"It had not escaped me," Byakuya assured him, "And I must apologize for my own confusion in the matter. But...in a way, I see how we might have gone on forever, not understanding what was there between us all along."

"What do you mean?" Renji asked, tears threatening again as he thought of Byakuya and Wren and what was between them, "You didn't even notice me until she came along."

"What are you talking about?" the noble said, capturing his chin and making their eyes meet, "Of course I noticed you. Renji, you threw yourself in my path a long time ago, and it is more accurate to say that I couldn't help but notice you. What you are really meaning is that you think I did not notice you sexually. That part is true, but it wasn't a lack of interest or even a conscious decision. In fact, when Wren arrived and a conscious decision became possible, you see that there was only one honest conclusion that I could make."

"What, that I'm a useless, pathetic fool and Wren is more attractive than me?" Renji asked, crossing his arms and looking away.

The redhead gasped in surprise as Byakuya's hand clenched the front of his yukata and the noble yanked him forward, so that their faces were unbearably close and the pretty scent of sakura filled his senses and made him feel a little dizzy.

"You _are_ a fool, Abarai," Byakuya said, his dark eyes flickering dangerously, "And the decision that I came to is the one I spoke to you the last time I saw you. I told you, Renji, I am in love with you...all of you. The part of you that is Wren, the part of you that is Renji...everything that makes you the person...the warrior I know! Why do you refuse to see that? What will it take? What do I have to do to get through to you?"

His piqued eyes held Renji in their thrall as the noble leaned forward, closing the distance between them and kissing him forcefully. Renji's hands came up instantly, pushing against Byakuya's heaving breast and trying to separate them. The noble nipped impatiently at his lips, then let him go. He sat calmly in the chair beside the bed, watching as the redhead struggled with himself to find the right words.

"S-sorry," Renji said finally, his breath still short from the intensity of their kissing, "I know I'm confusing you. On the one hand, I am honored...really, _really_ flattered that you feel for me like that. I know that it's been a long time since you wanted to be with anyone like this. But, on the other hand, I just...have some issues that I..."

"This is about that man...Masato, isn't it?" Byakuya asked suddenly.

Renji froze.

"This is about the relationship that you had, and something that happened between you that ended it, ne?"

"You know about that?" Renji asked, an odd twinge in his belly at the thought.

"I am head of the most powerful noble clan and walk in the same circles as Masato. I know him, though not well. And I saw the two of you together a few times before you became my vice captain. Yes, I am aware that you were seeing each other, though I do not know the details, nor how it ended."

"Hah...the _details_," Renji mused, "How's this for details? The guy picked me up in a bar and said that he couldn't take his eyes off of me while I was dancing. We danced and drank together, then ended up in bed and we started seeing each other. A few months later, he got bored and kicked me to the curb, saying that I had been 'fun' but that there were other mongrels out there that he found more interesting than me. He was never really in love with me. But he took me into his home, paraded me around in front of his friends and took over my life while we were together."

"I imagined it was something like that. Masato has somewhat of a reputation for that kind of behavior."

"Really..." Renji mused, sarcastically, "Thanks for rubbing in how stupid I was, Captain."

"That wasn't a reflection on you, Abarai. I was saying that..."

"I was an idiot...a stupid, pathetic idiot to ever fall for that. I get it," Renji went on, "Look, I know that you're not him. You're a way classier guy than that. But that's part of the problem too. Don't you get it? The difference between us? You said it, yourself, while we were fighting, Captain. It's class."

"That wasn't what I was talking about and you know it, Renji," Byakuya said warningly.

"You were pointing out how I wasn't good enough to overcome you on the battlefield. But, what does it matter, huh? On the battlefield? In bed? It doesn't matter, because you're noble and I'm a mongrel and it's eventually going to come between us! End of story!"

"And your answer to that is to push me away before you ever have the chance to really know me that way?" Byakuya asked pointedly, "Renji, I know that we did not start out well, but we have improved in our connections. And you have reached me in ways that no one has in a very long time. But that only happened because after our battle, you came to me and took care of me in the healing center. We opened up to each other and began to build the pathways necessary for falling in love. But now that I have shown interest in you, you want to shut those doors you opened. You don't want to see how you have gotten inside my heart and changed me. I know you are afraid, but that doesn't give you the right to lead me one way, then slam the door in my face!"

"That's not what I'm doing."

"Isn't it?" Byakuya said icily, his dark eyes glinting with rage, "I told you that I love you..._all of you_. And your answer to me saying that was this...running away like a coward, which I know you are not. Then, pushing me away, just when I felt comfortable enough to express real emotion for you. It is fine if you are confused. I am as well. But you won't end your confusion of make things better by running away and hiding from what we both feel!"

He stared into Renji's shocked eyes for a moment, then climbed onto the bed and leaned over him, placing one hand on each side of him and seeking his mouth hungrily. Unable to react, Renji remained frozen as Byakuya's soft, insistent mouth claimed his, and an even softer, pink tongue invaded forcefully.

"What will it take to get through to you, Renji?" Byakuya asked breathlessly, "Are you that determined to throw everything away that you will try to convince me that we shouldn't be together because I am a noble and you aren't? I know that is not what you think!"

"It doesn't matter what I think...or what you think," Renji argued, putting his hands on Byakuya's face and looking pleadingly into his eyes, "We are different. You said so, yourself. You're like the moon and I am just a stupid, useless monkey, trying to catch your reflection. I don't even see beneath the surface, because monkeys aren't smart enough to do that."

He was taken aback with how quickly Byakuya's mouth reclaimed his, stopping the offensive words.

"Stop saying those things, you fool!" the noble chided him, "I know you don't believe that. You didn't fight me to the very ends of your strength so that you could buy into the notion that you are less than me because we were born into different social classes. You broke that lie apart with your sword, Renji! But, having done that, you have a responsibility, don't you? If you shattered the glass walls around me and made me vulnerable, do you not owe me protection of the heart I gave you. Or will you turn around and take your revenge on Masato now, by treating _me _with the same disdain with which he treated you?"

"What?" Renji asked, white-faced, "I'm not saying...!"

"You are refusing me because I am a noble, are you not?" the Kuchiki heir fumed.

"I...?" Renji began, then he stopped, the truth coming down on him like Zabimaru's bankai release.

_Fuck..._

_He's right._

_I was doing that._

He stared up into Byakuya's eyes wordlessly as the noble released him and stood.

_Damn it! He's going to leave. just when I was starting to feel like it could happen, he's getting tired of my shit and walking away._

Fresh waves of shock rocketed through him as Byakuya reached up and removed the kenseiken from the long, black strands of his hair.

"C-captain...?"

Byakuya remained silent and set down the Kuchiki relic, then unwound the long, silken scarf from around his neck. As Renji watched him in stunned silence, Byakuya disrobed, leaving himself in only his soft, white dressing yukata. He slid back into the bed and laid down on his back, pulling at the tie at his waist, then opening his yukata and baring his lovely, pale body.

"Captain, what are you...?"

"Did Masato ever allow you to enter him?" Byakuya asked, point blank, shocking Renji into silence again.

"It is all right. I know the answer already," the noble assured him, "Masato is a selfish, arrogant man, who holds himself above others...even lovers, like you. I am not that man, and I am willing to prove that to you. If it will make you understand that I am different, then I will make myself completely vulnerable to you. Go ahead, Renji."

"Wh-what?" the redhead said blankly, not daring to believe what he was seeing and hearing.

"Make love to me. Take me sexually, if that is what you need to do so that you can trust me. I might have looked down on you before, but I do not now. I love you and I trust you. Go ahead and have what you will of me. You are welcome in these arms, Renji...always."

Renji stared, enthralled and scared to death that the ice in the other man's exterior had disappeared completely, and that all distances between them had closed. As beautiful and distant as Byakuya had been before, he was even more beautiful, up close and fully revealed. There was nothing about the man that wasn't perfect to Renji...perfect and enchanting and so very tempting. He stared wordlessly down into that lovely face, stymied at the sudden departure of the cool distance that Byakuya always seemed to place between himself and other people. He was, Renji realized suddenly, someone who protected his heart fiercely most of the time. But that heart was naked in front of the redhead now. And it seemed blinding, being faced with something so wonderful and perfect, yielded up in such calm, quiet words.

_You are welcome in these arms, Renji...always._

He wasn't sure why such beautiful words terrified him inside. Or why, when he looked at Byakuya, he could only see those same lips that kissed him so lovingly curl with hatred and say horrible things to him. It didn't make sense, and he couldn't explain it, no matter how he tried.

He closed his eyes and reached over to close the noble's yukata.

"I can't," he whispered, "I'm sorry."

The impact on the noble might not have been visible, but Renji felt it from end to end as Byakuya rose and dressed in silence. He turned away, and an icy wall seemed to rise up between them.

"My cousin is here. He will act as your bodyguard until you return to the Seireitei."

Byakuya's footsteps seemed to echo as he walked to the door. And Renji had never heard a sound so loud and earthshaking as the door, as it closed between them.


	13. Just Another Broken Heart

**Chapter 13: Just Another Broken Heart**

Byakuya slowed as he neared the entrance into the district bordering Inuzuri. He lowered his eyes and sought the reiatsu of the man he had warned off, then angled in his direction. It wasn't long before he spotted Masato, standing among a group from the Seireitei who had come to offer donated provisions to the poor. He walked quietly to where the man stood, then watched as Masato noticed him, and his eyes widened in surprise for a moment, then narrowed curiously.

"Lord Kuchiki?" he queried, frowning, "Did you think that I didn't hear your warning before? I understand. I am not to bother with Renji anymore. You made that clear."

"I am not here about Renji," Byakuya said solemnly, "I wish to speak to you privately."

"Hmmm," huffed the younger man, his brown eyes mistrustful and his arms crossed, "I think you only want to follow through on your threat to attack me. Why should I make it easy for you?"

"I am no savage," Byakuya replied, blinking slowly, "And you have my word as a gentleman that I will not attack you...as long as you show me the complete respect I deserve as the leader of the most powerful clan."

Masato regarded him for a moment, then shook his head.

"I can't trust you. You are obviously up to something, or you would have left this at your warning. I told you. I have no interest in Renji. I noticed that he was here and acting oddly, and that he seemed to be powerless...but you know that. I have already dismissed him from my mind. Why did you come back here?"

"Are you sure that you wish to discuss this in the presence of others?" Byakuya asked solemnly, "If so, then you might be embarrassed at the content of our interaction. But it doesn't matter if I speak to you in private or not. The result will be the same."

"What do you mean? You speak in riddles, Lord Kuchiki. And, as you see, my group is still busy here. If you wish, we can speak privately about this at my manor or yours, after we are done here."

He went quiet, his face paling slightly at the dark, disapproving look the Kuchiki heir gave him.

"I told you before that I would not attack you as long as you showed me the proper deference, Masato. And you know well that if the leader of a higher clan engages you, you are to give him your immediate attention."

Masato paled further and touched the arm of the man standing next to him, alerting the two bodyguards who attended him. The two men came to attention, their hands ready on their weapons.

"Be at ease," Byakuya said, acknowledging them, "I have taken no action against this man, although he has been lacking in his etiquette towards me. I have offered to deliver my words to you privately, but you have refused. As a gentleman, I will offer again to keep this private, but we will have a conversation. You tread on the rules of our interactions with your standoffishness. But you are an arrogant and narcissistic man. I will take that into account and give you one more chance. Will you speak privately with me, or do you wish me to speak in front of all of these people?"

"I will speak to you privately," Masato said unhappily, "but my guards will be present. And another guard will remain here to report back to my clan if take any improper action with me."

"Very well."

Byakuya withdrew a small item from within his clothes and breathed a soft command. Instantly, the two nobles, along with Masato's guards were surrounded in a privacy bubble that separated them visually and sound-wise from the ones around them. Masato regarded Byakuya quietly, keeping his distance.

"Fine. You wanted to speak to me privately. What do you want, Lord Kuchiki?"

"You will receive official word in the proper way from my clan soon. But...what I want...is your hand in marriage."

"What?" Masato asked, a stunned expression rising on his face, "You want to...?"

"As you know, I was married once, but my wife passed from life and I have not remarried. For many years, I did not desire to be married again, but recently, my loneliness became a burden and I decided that the time had come to reopen my heart to someone."

"B-but...me?" the younger man said, frowning, "Why me?"

"You were not the person I chose," Byakuya went on, "However, that person, who might have agreed to marry me and end my loneliness endured great heartbreak at your hands. And because of this, is too broken to offer me respite from my loneliness."

"Ah, I understand," Masato said, comprehension rising in his eyes, "Renji turned you down when you went to comfort him. Well, as much as I understand you being put out at the mongrel's indecent behavior and lack of manners, I hardly see why you blame me for him rejecting you. Why carry on like this? You can marry anyone you want in the clans. Why marry me? I won't make you happy."

"That is where you are wrong," Byakuya informed him, his eyes darkening warningly, "You see, as leader of the most powerful noble clan, I have the right to pick my bride from any lesser clan, and that bride will, of course, accept. Our courtship will proceed for the required six months, after which we will be wed before our families, and as the bride, you will promise your utmost faith and service to me. That night, you will suffer me inside you, and I will seed my heirs in your body."

Masato stepped back slightly, his face reflecting discomfort, bordering on fear. He said nothing, but listened warily as the Kuchiki heir continued.

"As the wife of the most powerful clan leader, you will, of course, be expected to conduct yourself honorably, and I assure you that your guards will be employed by me and will be completely loyal to me and thorough in their assignments. You will not take a breath that I do not know about, and you will not do anything that is not allowed. Your days will be filled with the duties prescribed to a powerful clan wife...and every night, you will lie down with me and see that I receive the affections owed to me as your husband. In this way, you will give me what you have stolen from me by breaking Renji's heart."

"But, if I had stayed with him, then you wouldn't have had him anyway!" Masato objected.

"Renji wouldn't have stayed with you," Byakuya said resolutely, "You are a little snake...beneath him, despite your title, made so by your actions. But with my sacrifice in taking you as my wife, I can ease my loneliness, which you are partially responsible for, and I can ensure that you will never treat anyone, lover, family, friend, servant or stranger with anything but perfect respect. I think that will make the world slightly better, don't you?"

"You're crazy!" Masato exclaimed, "You won't get away with this, Byakuya! I won't do this! I'll die before I marry you!"

"Then," Byakuya said sedately, "the world will still be relieved of your foul behavior. One way or another, you will never behave in that disgusting way again. Now then, I must return to Kuchiki Manor. You can expect my messenger tomorrow. See that he returns in one piece."

Byakuya touched his fingers to the item in his hand and the privacy bubble vanished, leaving them back among the group handing donations out to the poor.

"Good afternoon, Masato," Byakuya said dulcetly, "I will be seeing you."

He turned away and disappeared in a flash step, leaving the white-faced man behind and returning quickly to Kuchiki Manor, where he turned away from the main wing and headed instead to the family cemetery. He sought his late wife's grave and knelt beside it, sighing softly and closing his eyes. He missed entirely, the presence of the red-brown eyes that observed him from the nearby bushes.

"I am sorry, Hisana. I know that it was your dying wish that I would marry for love, if I married again. And I had sought to honor that wish. I realized amidst all of this chaos with Renji's situation that I have loved Renji for a very long time. I didn't realize before, but being with Wren has opened my eyes to what I couldn't see before. I love Renji, yes, but Renji's heart is too broken, it seems. So, the only thing I can do is to make sure that the one who broke Renji's heart never breaks another. No, it is not 'marrying for love' in the sense you meant it, but I am marrying Masato for the sake of love. And every time that man bows before me, I will see that he pays for breaking Renji's heart. Without raising a violent hand or an angry word, I will exact perfect vengeance for what that man did. My heart will remain somewhat empty, but that would be true whether or not I took Masato as my wife. But...be comforted. You are the love of my life, and you can rest peacefully, knowing that I will never give my heart to another again. It should have died with you, Hisana...and now it will rest with you always."

He went silent, his head bowing and regret flooding him until he registered almost nothing of his surroundings. He remained, kneeling in breathless agony until the one watching him, stepped out from the bushes and moved quietly to his side. She knelt beside him and slipped a hand into his, making him blink in surprise and look solemnly into her eyes.

"I'm sorry," Wren whispered, offering him a chaste kiss on the cheek, "That any part of me could ever hurt you. I never wanted that, Byakuya. Never."

She sighed softly, breathing in the scent of the flowers around them and considering her words carefully.

"I can't make you any promises. I don't even know how long I have with you before Kisuke finds a way to put me back in Renji's soul. But, while I'm here, and living and breathing, I will use every breath to tell you that I love you. And while I can still hold you, I will hold on as tightly as I can. I can't turn Renji into any less of an idiot, but I can take care of you the way you've taken care of me. Come back to the manor with me, Byakuya. I don't want to waste a minute of what time is left!"

"But it isn't right," Byakuya objected softly, "When you and Renji are reintegrated, it could cause him pain to know how..."

"Why are you so worried about that? You're worried that he'll know how much you loved us?" Wren said, anger beginning to flicker in her eyes, "I would say that is just what Renji needs...although by then, it might be too late. You _can_ change your mind about Masato, right?"

"At any time, up to the wedding. I merely have to allow him to trip himself up and do something dishonorable, which there is no question he will do. But why? Wren, I don't want to force Renji into being with me."

"Says the man who went to the lengths of deciding to marry the guy who hurt him. You think it won't make him want to 'save' you?"

"I don't need to be saved," Byakuya said, shaking his head and lowering his eyes again, "I am sure that Masato will be satisfactory as my wife. He won't have a choice. I won't be unhappy. Neither will that man be harmed in any physical way, except being compelled to accept me inside him. But I don't plan to be forceful. And he will know better than to resist. His discomfort, then, will only be psychological. And it is more than deserved."

"But is it really right to tie yourself down in a loveless marriage, Byakuya?" Wren argued, "Because I don't read you as the kind of person who can do that without hurting himself inside. Say what you want about it not being bad for you. You know you won't be happy, being married to that guy, when you are in love with Renji. And how do you think it will be, sitting in the sixth and having to look at Renji all day...making him look at you and him knowing that you're not happy, and you only married Masato because Renji wouldn't marry you?"

"Renji has no right to question anything I do or do not do," Byakuya said firmly, "He lost all rights to have anything to say about that when he rejected me."

"What do you mean, 'when he rejected you?'" Wren asked, frowning, "Byakuya, what exactly happened when you went to see Renji?"

Byakuya sighed.

"Wren, I do not want to hurt you. It makes you uncomfortable to know that I..."

"It makes me more uncomfortable to know that you feel like you can't talk to me. Byakuya, please, just tell me what that fool did to you!"

"He did not do anything to me. I found him in the Rukongai, and Masato was harassing him. So, I warned Masato off, then took Renji to the town healer. While there, repeated to him that I love both of you, all of him. He still did not seem to understand how much. So I...offered to allow him to..."

Wren smiled at the blush that rose on his face.

"I think I get it," she assured him, "You...offered yourself to him and the dumbass refused, ne?"

"That is the truth of it," Byakuya confessed, managing a tentative smile as Wren moved closer and wrapped an arm around him.

"Well," said the redhead, "my other half might be a complete fool, but _I_ know a good thing when I see it. You know, Byakuya, I remember what Masato did to us. But even though I remember, I know what a good thing we have with you. Like I said before, I can't promise you anything. But...I am here now, and you look like you need some comfort. If my other stupid, idiotic half hurt you, please let me make you feel better. I can't fix this, but...I want to help. And, who knows? Maybe when Kisuke finds the way to put me back inside Renji, I'll be able to help him see how much you love him, and that you won't hurt him. Maybe if the emotional side of him gets more brave, then he won't be doomed to taking the same stupid action when he's in one piece again."

Byakuya remained on his knees, the words replaying themselves in his mind and his mind considering. Wren chuckled softly and slipped a hand into his, bringing him back to his feet.

"Come on. Come back with me," she urged him.

And slowly, almost imperceptibly, acceptance registered on the Kuchiki heir's face. He looked quietly into her eyes and touched her face with gentle hands.

"I don't want to take advantage," he said softly.

"Yeah, I know that," Wren laughed, "You may not want to take advantage, but _I _do. When he's in one piece again, I want Renji to know how stupid he was...so that he'll spend every day of the rest of his life making it up to you."

"Wren," Byakuya said, cupping her face in his hands and meeting her lips gently, "As much as I understand your feelings, I wonder if it won't be painful for you to be with me, knowing..."

"That it's going to end soon? Yeah, it hurts. But is the answer to that, sitting here and worrying about how much it will hurt? Wasting the time we have to enjoy being together while we can? Fuck that, Byakuya. If 'here and now' is what I have, then I'll take it. I love you, and unlike Renji, I'm not afraid to tell you that. And I'm not afraid to show you. I am going to enjoy what time I have with you."

She paused for a moment, looking down at Hisana's gravestone.

"Unless...that isn't what you're worried about. I mean, I'll understand if you can't stand to be with me because you know you're going to lose that...and you don't want to go through what you did when you lost your wife."

"But you aren't going to die, Wren," Byakuya said, smiling sadly and shaking his head, "You will still be alive and well inside Renji. There is nothing for me to mourn in that. That is where you belong, after all. And if we are fortunate enough that Renji comes to his senses after you are reintegrated, then there is a future for us. We can be happy."

Wren's smile widened into Renji's more cocky grin.

"Then, what's say we give Renji some good things to enjoy when I go back inside him, okay?"

"Ah," said the Kuchiki heir, recovering some of his stronger spirits and sweeping Wren off her feet, "I must admit that, being Renji's more expressive side, you have me at a disadvantage. I don't think I can resist an offer like that."

His smile warmed at the blush that rose instantly on her face and he fed her a more amorous kiss as he carried her back to his room and laid her down in his bed. Wren looked up at him questioningly and his head tilted slightly in askance.

"Hey," Wren said, reaching up to touch his lips with her fingertips, "You're not really going to go through with that marriage to Masato, are you? I mean, even if Renji is completely stupid and doesn't love you back, you won't really marry that guy without being in love with him, right?"

"You worry too much," the noble chided her, kissing her again and opening the top of her yukata, baring her golden, tattooed breasts, then opening his and settling down alongside her, "Most noble marriages begin without love. And who knows? With time and a bit of humility, Masato could change for the better..."

"Huh...BULLSHIT!" laughed Wren, "You have no idea. That guy...He doesn't deserve a classy guy like you."

"He didn't deserve a loving, loyal person like you either," Byakuya said, kissing her again.

"You mean, Renji."

"Don't separate yourself from him. You were there, Wren. It happened to you as well."

"Yeah, well...I'm not the weak hearted little troll my other half is being. Damn, Byakuya, I wonder how in the hell we ever made you fall in love with us."

Byakuya smiled.

"You simply revealed yourself to me, and I was completely enchanted," he answered, kissing his way down a tattooed clavicle and beginning to explore the markings on one voluptuous breast.

"Yeah, well you didn't seem interested like this until part of me was a woman."

Byakuya sighed.

"A travesty I will long regret. Now, let us put the rest aside. You offered me comfort, and I am more than a little in need of that."

"Say no more," Wren said, turning and climbing on top of him, her hands sweeping away the last of the clothing that separated them.

"I love you," Byakuya whispered, his dark eyes still registering pain as they looked into hers.

"I love you too, Byakuya," Wren whispered back, shifting atop him and bringing their bodies together, "and even though Renji is afraid, he loves you too. We'll get him through this. I promise. I won't let him walk away from you!"

In the depths of the Rukongai, Renji felt the odd swells of reiatsu flowing into him again and felt the invasion of Wren's body as his other half was taken.

"Well," he said sadly, "Looks like he got what he wanted after all...ne, Wren?"


	14. Perfect Touch

**Chapter 14: Perfect Touch**

Wren sank her fingers into the swirls of satin, raven strands of Byakuya's hair, her other hand curving around his naked bottom, holding him in place, inside her. She sought his troubled, gray eyes, smiling sadly at the pain that radiated beneath the calm surface.

"Are you okay?" she whispered, kissing his sweating brow and feeling the hard, fast beating of his heart against her tattooed breast, "I know you said that you wanted this, but I think maybe that you're having second thoughts now. Why don't you tell me what you're thinking, Byakuya? I promise you, whatever it is, I can handle it."

Byakuya sighed and gave her a heartbreakingly tender, fleeting smile.

"I could never have second thoughts about loving you," he said quietly, "That much is certain, so do not misread my melancholy for regret about being with you."

He went silent for a moment, and Wren felt a weighty internal struggle going on somewhere inside him.

"That...any part of Renji could love me..." he whispered, closing his eyes against the rising emotion, "But...perhaps it is time to make peace with the possibility that this is just not meant to be."

"What do you mean?" Wren asked, her eyes widening, "You're not...giving up, are you? I know that Renji and I will eventually be reintegrated, But I didn't think that you would just give up on us like that. Why are you...?"

"Wren," Byakuya said softly, lying still on her chest and feeling the heavy ache of loss already beginning, "It may be that the part of Renji you represent loves me very much and wants desperately to be with me..."

"Byakuya...!"

"But," he went on, a hint of threatening tears beginning to shine in his eyes, "you are only a part of Renji."

"What are you saying?" Wren asked, stiffening, "Are you saying that what _I_ feel...what _I_ want...doesn't matter? After being with me like this, you...?"

"I am not saying that your feelings don't matter. They matter very deeply to me, Wren...deeply enough that it was extremely difficult to see the path to what I should be doing."

"What do you mean? What are you talking about? What are you going to do?"

"I offered myself to Renji, and even though I felt very much that he returns my affections, he is hurt and afraid..."

"Because of what that bastard, Masato did to us! Byakuya, I know that, but...!"

"I know you know this," Byakuya went on, capturing her face in his hands, "You see, Wren, you are that part of Renji that he needs most right now. You are the part of Renji that gets him through everything. You always have been."

"But...?"

Byakuya touched a stunningly gentle kiss to her lips and went on.

"Renji may be capable of loving me in return someday. But...while the emotionally stronger part of him is separated from him, I cannot pressure him anymore. Wren, Renji does not need my love right now."

"Byakuya, no, he..."

"Renji," he said, taking Wren's lovely, angry face in his hands, "needs our strength...yours and mine. He needs our strength and he needs my friendship. So...when morning comes, we will have to let go of anything more than that...anything more than our commitment to making you and Renji one again."

"So...you are giving up on me?" Wren asked, a tear leaking onto her proud face.

"No," Byakuya said, looking deeply into her furious eyes, "I am not giving up on you. I am placing my faith in you to help him. Wren, I think you may be the only one who can help Renji right now. So, I am not letting go of you. I am trusting you to help him."

He caught his breath, reeling as she tore away from him, then surprised him with a powerful slap across the face. She glared at his shocked expression, at the tension in his body and, for some reason she couldn't fathom, felt like laughing hysterically.

_I just hit Byakuya Kuchiki._

_I just hit that guy as hard as I could and he didn't even feel it._

"Ah," she said, looking down at her stinging hand, "S-sorry."

Byakuya's eyes calmed and watched her closely as she struggled inwardly with herself.

"I was just pissed because you slept with me _before_ telling me that."

"I am the one who is sorry," Byakuya said, lowering his eyes, "I deserved your anger for being so weak as to need to be held by you before I could find the strength to be the friend that you and Renji need. I didn't mean to insult you."

"It's okay," Wren said, taking a steadying breath, "It's not like I didn't want to be with you. And it was selfish of me to do that when Renji's made it pretty clear he's not going to continue things with you once we're reintegrated. I just...needed to..."

"Me too," Byakuya agreed, moving cautiously closer, then smiling as Wren curled into his arms.

"If we are going to lose each other, we should go out fighting all of the way, ne Captain?"

Byakuya smiled instantly.

"Why did you call me that?"

"That's what you are," Wren said, nuzzling closer, "My Captain, my friend and the one who loves me enough to let me go, if that is what is best for me. I love you, Byakuya. Renji loves you too. And whatever happens, I hope you remember that."

"I will," Byakuya whispered, holding her more tightly, "I promise I will."

XXXXXXXXXX

Kisuke blinked sleepily, yawning widely as the machine in front of him beeped sullenly, informing him that the samples he had placed inside for processing had been analyzed. He squinted at the readout that emerged, then dug through a stack of papers sitting next to him, pausing to compare the two, then dropping them and consulting several books. He moved back to the machine and punched in several codes, then read the results on the screen.

"Huh..." he mused, taking a sip of cooling tea, "Damn...what is this? C'mon, this has to make some kinda sense, somehow. I just have to..."

"Boss?" Tessai's weary voice called from the doorway, "I finished the tests you wanted me to run."

"Ah, thanks," Kisuke said gratefully, "That will save me some time. Here, let me have a look."

He peered down at the sheets of paper Tessai provided, then pored back over the results from the tests he had run. A soft glow rose in his eyes as he returned to the books he had been consulting and leafed through two of them.

"All right," he whispered, "This is starting to make sense...a mating ritual...splits into two and...huh...but Renji's not a hollow, so...hmmm."

He sucked in a surprised breath as he came to a conclusion that nearly dropped him in his tracks.

"No way...not possible! That can't be...it's gotta be a mistake, right?"

"Boss?"

"C'mere and look at this. Tell me if I have this wrong."

Tessai moved forward and studied the pages that the shopkeeper held out to him, then the pages from the books he offered. Tessai blinked in surprise and stared wordlessly.

"You conclude the same, right?"

"Erm, yes," Tessai confirmed, "But Boss...Renji-san will be..."

"Renji will happy, I think, to be back in one piece," Kisuke said with certainty, "And hey, it's not the worst therapy you ever heard of, ne? He and Byakuya are tight. Byakuya's been all over Renji's girly side, and he seemed interested in Renji's male side too."

"But, sir, Renji-san had issues with that, remember?"

"Well," Kisuke said, shaking his head, "If Renji wants to be normal again, then he's going to have to deal with those issues...cause the only way that he's getting out of this...is if Byakuya, the one who put him into 'heat' fixes things. That's your conclusion too, ne?"

"W-well, yes, but..."

"Call them in," said Kisuke, "Renji's in a bad way, so we want to get this over with as soon as possible."

"Y-yes, of course," Tessai said, bowing, "I will send for them at once."

XXXXXXXXXX

Renji tossed and turned in his sleep, his mind replaying his last interaction with Byakuya.

_"Make love to me. Take me sexually, if that is what you need to do so that you can trust me. I might have looked down on you before, but I do not now. I love you and I trust you. Go ahead and have what you will of me. You are welcome in these arms, Renji...always."_

And each time it repeated in his troubled, sleeping mind, his reply raked at his heart, weighing him down with guilt and regret.

_"I can't..."_

He sat up in bed, rubbing his eyes and looking at the clock, then groaning and falling back.

"Gods, this is fucking _ridiculous_! What is _wrong_ with me?" he berated himself, "Byakuya Kuchiki is in love with me! I've gotta be a fucking idiot to look him in the eyes and brush him off like that! Kami, what is wrong with me?"

He leaned forward, letting his face drop into his hands and groaning in agony.

"I just want to be normal again! I just wanna be back in one piece! Just put me back together, gods, please put me back together!"

He was stunned out of his reverie as the door flew open and crashed into the wall.

"What the hell?" he mused, staring.

Wren burst through the door, her red-brown eyes flaring with fury, and she took him by the front of his yukata and shook him forcefully.

"What is wrong with you!" she demanded, "I know you love Byakuya. We both know you do. I get that you are still in pain from what Masato did to us, but why the fuck are you letting that ruin _everything_! I could kill you, you stupid fool!"

It took him a stunned moment to realize that his feminine counterpart was shaking all over with emotion and tears had begun to leak onto her face.

"Renji!" she sobbed.

Renji took hold of Wren's clenched hands and pried them away from his clothing, then held them and looked back at her apologetically.

"I'm sorry," he said miserably, "Wren, I know I'm making a mess of things. I don't want to, but...there's just something really wrong with me! It's...it's like the part of me that could help me wrap my head around this isn't here anymore! I mean, I know I'm fucking everything up! I don't want to, but...I just..."

He shook his head and sighed, letting his face fall onto their joined hands.

"I'm sorry, Wren. I'm really, really sorry," he said, his own tears beginning to fall.

He forced himself to stop and brushed them away, then gave Wren a teary smile.

"But why are you so upset?" he went on, "Wren, I know that you went to bed with him again."

Wren frowned and stared at him.

"What?" she asked, looking confused, "H-how did you know? You've done that before...or did Byakuya get here before me?"

"Byakuya didn't come here," Renji confessed, "Look, Wren, I'm going to tell you something that I should have told you before. I wanted to, but I was worried that it would kind of freak you out."

Wren let out a heavy breath, deflating as the anger left her still trembling body.

"What are you talking about?" she asked, frowning, "What would freak me out?"

Renji took a steadying breath.

"Ah...this is really embarrassing."

Wren gave him an amused smile.

"It's okay," she chuckled, "You're just talking to yourself."

"R-right," Renji said, blushing, "But...this is really weird. Brace yourself."

"O-kay..."

"When you and Byakuya have sex, I feel it too...like...I'm...connected to your body and part of it," Renji explained.

Wren stared back at him blankly for a moment, before comprehension hit and her eyes widened in dismay.

"Y-you...?"

"Yeah," Renji said, blushing, "The truth is, when you do anything sexual, I feel it too, like it's being done to me."

Wren's eyes rounded and she struggled to think of something to say in response.

"When we first arrived at Kuchiki Manor," Renji went on, "You were in your room and..."

"What?" Wren exclaimed, "You mean...you knew this from way back then and you just...you...you didn't say _anything_?"

"What the hell was I supposed to say?" Renji objected, flushing even more brightly, "Excuse me, but I feel it when you're masturbating or having sex?"

"Oh my kami!" gasped the lady redhead, "This is...! I can't...! You! You're...you _perverted freak_!"

"Hey!" Renji yelled, "It wasn't like I _wanted _to feel you having sex with Byakuya, you know! I couldn't help it. It just...happened! I couldn't control it at all!"

"But you never _said_ a word!" Wren cried furiously, "And when he...when he was touching me and..."

She broke off, going pale as a thought struck her.

"That's why, isn't it?" she asked in a stunned tone, "That's why you turned him down."

"What?" Renji said, blinking, "No! I told you, I...!"

"No," Wren insisted, "You knew how he was making me feel...how good it was..."

She froze, her face going very pale.

"Wren," Renji said, leaning towards her and reaching out to touch her face, "Are you all right?"

"No!" she whispered, "No, I'm not anything like all right. Renji, the way you were feeling...you weren't ready to be having sex with Byakuya."

"I didn't..."

"But because _I did_, you did anyway. I...hurt you...us, didn't I?"

"Hey," Renji said bracingly, "it wasn't your fault. You didn't know."

"B-because you didn't _tell me_, stupid!" she sobbed, striking her opened hands against him, "You just let me hurt you...and keep on hurting you! Why? Why did you do that?"

Renji let out an exasperated breath.

"What the fuck was I _supposed _to do?" he asked helplessly, "Wren, I might not have felt ready to go to bed with Byakuya, but you were in love with the guy and you would have been hurt if you couldn't...I don't know! I just don't know what the hell I was thinking anymore. It just...it made sense at the time. I figured...even if I couldn't love Byakuya, you and Byakuya didn't deserve to have to shut everything away. You guys love each other. You know, if I couldn't be happy, at least I could let the two of you be happy."

Renji looked down at his hands and shook his head sadly.

"And feeling what was between you, I really started to think about things. You know, I do love Byakuya too."

"Huh," Wren sniffed miserably, "You sure couldn't tell by us. And Renji, when you rejected him, you really hurt him badly."

"I know," Renji said, lowering his head in shame, "I really made a mess of things. But you took care of him, ne? I felt it."

"I went to bed with him," Wren confirmed, "But this morning, he ended things."

"What?" Renji said, looking up in surprise, "Is that why you flew over here, ready to strangle me? Because he dumped us?"

"He wasn't 'dumping' anyone," Wren said, crossing her arms, "Renji, Byakuya broke things off, partly because of the fact that he realized that, even though I am ready for a relationship with him, you just aren't. He accepts that, and he chose instead, to be a good friend and to take the pressure off of you."

Renji sighed sadly.

"Damn..." he whispered, "I feel like a total asshole."

"Well, you're going to feel worse," Wren said grimly, "because since you rejected him, he did something...something pretty rash."

"Wh-what?"

"He's getting married," Wren said, lowering her eyes, "And not to me."

"Who is he going to marry?" Renji asked, looking mystified, "One of the noble ladies the elders wanted him to?"

"No," Wren said, tightening her lips, "Byakuya is going to marry Masato!"


	15. The Cure

**Chapter 15: The 'Cure'**

**(LOL, on the update list and the most requested of my updates! Enjoy!)**

"Come again?" Renji managed in a stunned voice, "He's marrying...?"

"Masato," Wren said, shaking her head.

"What the hell?" Renji mused almost breathlessly, "What in the fucking hell does he think he's DOING? Is this, like _revenge_ for me rejecting him or something? Now, he wants to fuck the guy who screwed us over? Is he out of his _mind_?"

"Oh, I think he's still sane," Wren said dryly, "And I do think he wants revenge, but not on you and me."

"Huh?" the redhead said, still trying to make sense of what he had learned.

"He's going to make Masato pay for hurting us by turning him into a submissive little clan wife. That's what he's going to do. And Masato really doesn't have a choice. The Kuchiki clan has higher status than his clan and his own clan wants the prestige the marriage would bring. This is going to happen, Renji. He's really going to marry that guy."

Renji thought for several long minutes, then sighed and lowered his eyes.

"It's his choice."

"What?" Wren asked, disbelievingly.

"I can't give him what he wants, Wren. You just said that he and you came to the same conclusion. I'm just not ready to be with him like that. And if that's the way it is, then I have no right to interfere in his decisions about who to love or marry. I don't!"

"Baka!" Wren exclaimed, slapping him on the back of the head and earning a string of blistering curses from her angry counterpart.

"Hey, would you fucking stop beating the shit outta me every time you disagree with me? This is ridiculous!"

"No, you're being ridiculous!" Wren yelled, "You'd rather let Byakuya be stuck with a disgusting pig like Masato for the rest of his life than to 'man up' and let him _love_ you! Byakuya is _nothing _like Masato! Get over this already and stop being such a wimp! For how long are you going to go on letting what Masato did ruin the best thing that ever happened to us?"

Renji caught the infuriated woman's hand in mid-swing, glaring into her eyes as he yelled back at her.

"Damn it, _quit that_!" he roared, "You know, I don't hit women, but I am not above kicking my own ass, so fucking stop hitting me!"

"Finally, he starts to get a little backbone..." Wren muttered, backing away and crossing her arms, "You know, Renji, I don't want to think of what you would end up like if we _weren't_ reintegrated. You'd spend the rest of your life alone and regretting being so stupid!"

"Shut up!" Renji snapped, "I'm not stupid! I just...got hurt is all."

"By a guy who was a complete psycho," Wren agreed, "Remember, I was there."

"The thing is," Renji said, grabbing her by the shoulders and glaring into her flashing eye, "You aren't in here now."

Wren went still, swallowing hard as she took in the words.

"Maybe...I could have handled it, once I understood that he loved me...not that we ever would have gotten there if it hadn't been for you getting broken off of me, but I'm not even a whole person right now, Wren. And as strong as you are, neither are you. We really can't be making these decisions and overcoming things while we're still in pieces. So, I'm going to ask Byakuya and I'm going to ask you...please, just, no more hasty decisions until we're back in one piece! You shouldn't pressure me to have a relationship with him and he shouldn't go running off trying to get revenge on Masato. I never asked him to do that!"

"Well," Wren said, with an edge of sarcasm in her voice, "you kinda lost the right to have a say in his life when you _completely rejected him_! And what chivalrous guy _wouldn't_ go after someone who hurt their true love? It's like it became a sort of obligation, once he learned of it."

"Great!" Renji sighed, deflating and dropping into a chair, slamming his face down on the table, "Now I didn't just ruin our life. I fucking _destroyed _his too! What the hell is _wrong_ with me! Tell you what, just...just run me through, okay? I am goddamned done with trying to deal with all of this!"

"Sorry," Wren said sardonically, "But as long as _I'm _a part of you, suicide is _not _an option!"

"Then, there's still time..." Renji muttered unhappily.

"Shut up, will you?" Wren said, less forcefully, "We have to figure a way out of this. We have to convince Byakuya not to marry that bastard. So, how're we going to do that?"

"I don't know," Renji said sarcastically, "How do you feel about earning a death sentence by abducting and hog tying him?"

"Be serious, will you?" Wren sighed disgustedly.

"I was serious," Renji said, scowling, "because once Captain makes up his mind, there's no getting him to change it. He wrote the book on stubborn!"

"Right," Wren said, glaring at him, "That's why _he _saw his way clear to fall in love with us, then found a way to make that son of a bitch, Masato, pay for what he did."

Renji started to say more, but was halted by the arrival of a hell butterfly.

_Okay, kids, _said Kisuke's voice, _I think we have a possible fix for your splitting problem._

"Thank kami!" Renji and Wren said together.

Then, the two glanced at each other and chuckled softly, while Kisuke's voice went on.

_I want you to come on back to my shop as soon as you can. I've already sent for Captain Kuchiki._

"Captain?"' Renji mused, "He just _has _to be involved, huh?"

"Whatever, let's go," Wren said tersely.

Renji started to follow, but paused as he noticed the barely concealed anxiety in his counterpart's shapely body.

"Hey, uh...you okay?" he asked, laying a hand on her arm.

"Yeah," Wren said nervously, "I just...it's strange, thinking we're going to be back in one body. It's a relief, but..."

"Wren," the redhead said, looking into her shadowed eyes and touching her face lightly, "I think things will be better when we're back the way we were. And maybe...having you there will help, you know? Maybe I'll be better able to work things out with Captain Kuchiki."

"I hope so," the young woman said with sincerity, "If you don't, I'm going to give you all kinds of headaches, stupid!"

"All right," Renji said, taking a steadying breath, "Come on."

XXXXXXXXXX

"Ah, Captain Kuchiki, right on time," Kisuke said, smiling and indicating a chair at his kitchen table.

"Where are Wren and Renji?" the noble asked, looking around, "Shouldn't they be here by now?"

"Ah, you know them...fashionably late and all," Kisuke chuckled in an off-putting manner.

Byakuya gave him a less than pleased look.

"Sorry," the shopkeeper said, more seriously, "They are on the way, but they had farther to come than you did, and no access to a clan senkaimon."

"Ah."

Byakuya looked down into the tea that Kisuke set in front of him and studied it curiously.

"So," he said quietly, "Is this part of the cure for Renji's condition? You have me curious as to what role I will play in all of this."

"Come on, Captain," Kisuke said, eyeing him skeptically, "I think you already have an idea. I don't want to have to go through everything twice, but I will affirm that you will be needed in a sexual capacity."

"With Wren or Renji?" the Kuchiki heir asked, softly.

"With both," Kisuke said, watching the troubled look that passed over Byakuya's handsome face.

"I see. He is not going to be happy about this."

"No, but I think that, given that or remaining as he is and being powerless, as well as deteriorating slowly over time, he will see the sense of going along with this."

"And you are sure that it will work?" Byakuya asked darkly, "I do not want to put Renji through something like this unnecessarily."

"Huh," mused Kisuke, "I don't get it. I thought that you and Renji kinda liked each other anyway."

"What we feel is rather confused at the moment. I think that we cannot truly resolve our issues until Wren is reintegrated with Renji."

"Well, I can't promise that this will work, but I am reasonably sure that it will, or I wouldn't have called you all in to try it. Trust me, Captain Kuchiki, I will get your vice captain back to you the way he was."

"And he will be able to use Zabimaru?"

"Yeah. I think that the only reason he couldn't was because his soul was split, and therefore, he couldn't connect the necessary elements of body, mind and heart required to release his zanpakutou's power."

"I hope you are right."

"Yeah," Kisuke sighed meaningfully, "Me too."

Byakuya cleared his throat softly and met Kisuke's eyes again.

"Kisuke Urahara, there is one more thing I must ask you. You see, I have never been with another man before and I do not wish to hurt my partner."

He went silent, staring as Kisuke took hold of his hand and slipped a bottle of personal lubricant into it.

"Use a lot and use your fingers to stretch...erm...the _area_ first."

"Ahm, I will," the noble said, blushing and slipping the small bottle into his uniform as Wren and Renji appeared in the doorway.

"Oh, good," Kisuke said, sounding relieved, "You're here. As you can see, Captain Kuchiki's all ready too."

"Great," said Renji, "but why is he here? How is this going to work? Do you even know for sure it will?"

"C'mon and sit down," Kisuke said, nudging the anxious redhead into a chair and pulling out another for Wren. Byakuya sipped quietly at the tea he had been given, watching Renji's face as Kisuke began his explanation.

"Well, it took a long time, and I wasn't sure that I could do it, but I finally figured out exactly what that hollow did to our pal, Renji. You see, this hollow is a kind of 'Splitter Hollow,' meaning that it reproduces without a partner by splitting in two and the two parts mating to make a new Splitter. It doesn't just use the splitting for reproduction. It also uses something like that as a means of attack. So, this is what it did to Renji. When it cut Renji, it released a soul splitting factor that entered through the cut and caused Renji's soul to split. If he had remained in a battle situation, he would have probably split sooner and been confused and weakened so that the hollow could have killed him. But he got away and he calmed down, so the split didn't happen for a while. He split into a male and a female, as the hollow would have, but a lot of things went wrong, because, simply put, he's not a hollow."

"I am glad you were here to point that out to us," Byakuya said dryly.

"Wait, wait wait a fucking minute!" Renji exclaimed, "Does that mean that Wren and I have to have sex? No way! No goddamned way we're doing that! That's just...too weird!"

"Well, if you were a splitter hollow, you would have to do it that way. But you are a shinigami. And shinigamis reproduce by sleeping with another shinigami. What you needed was a shinigami who resonated strongly enough with you to stimulate your body to begin the reproduction process."

"Wh-what? You mean, I am pregnant?" Wren said, looking down at her body quizzically, "But I don't...?"

"No," Kisuke corrected her, "You were the gatherer. Your body took in Byakuya's...erm...seed and reiatsu and rendered it. Then, it was attracted to a concave structure that formed in Renji's body."

"Oh," said Renji, going pale, "What the hell? You...you can't mean that I'm...?

"You're pregnant," Kisuke confirmed.

"Oh my god!" Renji gasped, clenching his midsection, "I think I'm gonna be sick!"

"But, you can't have the baby like you are," the shopkeeper went on, "You and Wren have to be reintegrated for it to work. Once you are, the baby's spirit chamber will form fully and the baby will have a safe place to grow."

"But...but I'm a _guy_!" Renji objected, "How in the hell am I going to...?"

"The chamber will hold the developing reiatsu, and after it's had time to mature, the area of your belly that is over the structure, will lose cohesion, so that the baby's reiatsu cluster can pass through. It will then solidify into a shinigami baby."

"So, to get turned back, we have to sleep with Captain Kuchiki?" Renji asked, his voice wavering slightly.

"Yes," Kisuke confirmed, "It was Byakuya's body that 'awakened' Wren's and your reproductive cycles, so he is the one who can bring you back together. If he makes love, first to Wren, while Renji is in physical contact with you, then to you, Renji, while Wren is touching you, then the hormones created in the reproduction will signal your bodies to reintegrate. The Splitter Hollow is reintegrated after the two parts have coitus. But, for you, you have to have the other shinigami in the mix for proper fertilization and stimulation of the reintegration hormone."

"Ah...okay," Renji said, looking unsettled, "I guess there's no avoiding it, so..."

He felt a guilty twinge inside at the hurt expression that crossed Byakuya's face for a moment at his words, then disappeared.

"S-sorry Captain," he said, bowing his head, "I didn't mean to..."

"It's fine," Byakuya said stiffly, "I understand that you do not have feelings for me that way, and that having my child is the last thing you would want to do."

"I didn't say that!" Renji exclaimed, "Look, this is just...it's a lot to handle, okay? I didn't say that I didn't...I mean I have to be honest and say that I do have feelings for you! I told you that! I just...I don't feel ready for this."

"Unfortunately, there is a window of opportunity," Kisuke explained, "because you are already pregnant. You need the chamber completed soon, or you and Wren are going to begin to fade."

"All right," Renji said, nodding, "Fine. Let's...let's go ahead with it. I'm not exactly ready, but it seems like we should do this now."

"I agree. The sooner the better," said Kisuke.

The two went silent, suddenly, realizing that, as they had been talking, tears had begun to roll down Wren's tattooed face, and Byakuya had moved forward to gently embrace her. Renji was jolted all over again by the tenderness in the noble's hands, in the way he looked so kindly into her eyes and kissed her reassuringly.

"It's going to be all right," he whispered, rubbing his face lightly against hers, "Don't be afraid."

"I love you," Wren sobbed softly, "I really love you, Byakuya!"

"I love you too," the noble whispered back, kissing her again.

"Let's just do this now...before I...before I can't," Wren said in a shaky voice.

Kisuke nodded and indicated one of the guest rooms, then watched as the three entered.

_I hope this works..._

XXXXXXXXXX

"Are you going to be all right?" Byakuya asked, kneeling in front of Wren on the bed, as Renji took up a position behind her and slid his arms around her.

"I...I think so."

Wren caught her breath in surprise as Renji's voice sounded very softly in her ear.

"It'll be okay. I promise. I won't stop hearing you, just because you're inside me again. I will...really try to do the right thing."

"Thank you," Wren whispered back, reaching down to squeeze his hand.

She raised her eyes to meet Byakuya's and nodded.

"I'm okay now," she assured him, "Go ahead."

Renji watched, once again completely entranced at the gentleness in Byakuya's hands as they captured Wren's face and he kissed her several times, until her hands rose and set themselves on his shoulders. They bared each other slowly, exchanging kisses and longing touches, savoring the last moments of their love. Renji remained positioned behind her, his arms around her waist and his head rested on her shoulder. He tried to avoid his captain's dark, pained eyes, but couldn't help feeling inside just how badly the noble's sheltered heart was breaking. He coaxed Wren onto his lap, entering her in small, measured movements, then pausing with their bodies fully joined and kissing her again.

Renji's heart thudded in his chest as Byakuya's eyes caught his for a moment, and the noble seemed ready to speak. His lips trembled slightly, and he seemed to think better of it and closed his eyes, resting his head on Wren's other shoulder as he began to move again. His hands slid down Wren's long torso, caressing her back and sliding over Renji's arms, exciting soft chills on his vice captain's skin as he held onto Wren's soft bottom, encouraging her rise and fall on his hungry length. The two became quickly breathless, and surrendered after several minutes to the long, shuddering pulses of completion. They held each other tightly as they rested and their bodies calmed. Then, Byakuya kissed her a last time, lingeringly, before releasing her and watching as Renji switched places with her.

Renji noticed right away the differences...the heavier tension in the noble's slightly sweating body, the flutter in his reiatsu and the fact that Byakuya wasn't making any eye contact, even as he embraced Renji and waited quietly for him to make the first move.

"What are you doing?" Renji asked, "Why aren't you looking at me? Are you still angry?"

A moment later, his heart nearly leapt out of his chest as he realized that there were two escaped tears running down Byakuya's fine, pale cheeks.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, wrapping his arms around the noble and bringing his head to rest on a warm shoulder, "I know it's my fault. And the thing is...it isn't that I don't love you as much as Wren does. It's just that with the two of us separated, I haven't really been able to function."

"I understand."

"It doesn't mean we can't work things out. I don't know how I will feel, once this is over. But I can tell you right now that I will give this a lot of thought, okay? I swear I will."

"Thank you," Byakuya said solemnly, lifting his head and blinking as Wren's softer hands touched his face, brushing the tears away, then slid down his body and began to explore his nether region.

He sighed and closed his eyes, moving with her caresses as she slowly brought him back into a state of arousal. Renji shivered as the noble's hands slid down his back and over his bottom, then his fingers began to work their way gradually towards the redhead's entrance. Renji suffered a wickedly painful flash of memory at being touched there, and winced reflexively as Byakuya's warm, lubricated fingers touched him more intimately.

"Don't worry," Byakuya assured him, "I will be gentle with you."

"Huh, right," Renji mused, "You've never even done it with a guy before. How do you even _know_ how to be gentle?"

"I am glad to see that your mixed feelings about this have not completely overcome your sense of humor, Renji," Byakuya commented, actually gaining a smile from both Renji and Wren, "And for your information, I consulted someone who would know to make sure that I would be properly prepared for this."

"Oh? Who? That bat-shit crazy scientist out there?" Renji mused, "He's probably watching us right now."

"No, I do not..."

The noble let out a piqued breath.

"Don't think about that," he said soothingly, as his fingers continued to prepare his vice captain, "Just think of this as...as training."

"Training? Really, Captain?" Renji asked sarcastically.

"Renji, please do not call me that while we are in bed together. It sounds obscene. It sounds like I am using my position to take advantage of you."

"Sorry, Cap...Byakuya," Renji apologized, letting his breath out and shivering slightly as Byakuya's fingers retreated and he slid forward onto the noble's lap, spreading his shaking legs.

He couldn't look into the noble's eyes as he settled onto Byakuya's aroused length, but was extremely aware of the close proximity of the man's slightly parted lips as their bodies were joined. Byakuya held perfectly still, allowing Renji to adjust, then lifted his eyes to meet the redhead's.

Renji froze, looking into those deep gray orbs and unable to miss the longing and deep sadness in them. And he wanted more than anything to make that sadness go away. He swallowed hard and leaned forward, breathing in the man's lovely sakura scent and wondering briefly how he could ever have thought Byakuya was anything like that other man. Everything about him was different. He pressed his lips gently to the noble's and Byakuya froze, staring into his eyes, then parted his lips and kissed Renji back. The redhead lifted his hips and moaned softly, his heart fluttering at being so intimately joined with Byakuya that way. And even though he still felt scared, the fear seemed more distant as he and Byakuya moved in faster, more urgent thrusts against each other. He could have spent forever, held so snugly in the noble's arms, breathing with him and moving together with him, as though they were only parts of the same person. Wren leaned against Renji's back, a smile rising on her lips at the sounds that were escaping the two men. The three seemed joined at the heart as Byakuya and Renji climaxed together, then the three collapsed onto the bed and swiftly lost consciousness. None of them were aware when their bodies began to glow with bright red light and Wren's body was slowly absorbed back into Renji's, leaving Byakuya and Renji in a tight embrace.

Kisuke slipped into the room as Wren disappeared and ran several quick tests, then sighed softly in relief.

"Okay," he said, nodding, "I think that did it. Now, we just have to get those two through the pregnancy."

He caught himself and laughed sarcastically.

"Oh yeah, a pregnant Renji Abarai? Right, Renji's going to _love _this..."


	16. Pathways

**Chapter 16: Pathways**

**(For Walkure! With thanks going out to Nyma (Yup, Renji pregnant with a doting Byakuya will be cute, once the redhead comes around. But something will happen to show him just how much Bya loves him!), Walkure (Another delivered!), Kyuumihaira (Some Renji in REAL distress!), Hieizzz (Here you go! Happy New Year!), Shenigmatic (Yeah, Renji's in for a bit of...erm...trouble!), Winterheart2000 (Yup, he does!), Alabirdie (Well, they're going to get a little nudge in the right direction!), Renji-Bya-Lover (Yeah, sorry for the wait. I will try to get the next one up sooner!), Kami-no-Namida (I think Renji's going to be extremely cute and fiery while preggers!), phAnt0mgh0st7018 (Oh, you will enjoy how that proposal to Masato plays out. It will be a shocker, that's for sure!), and KarenaAngel11186 (Oh, he will. He'll have a little time to sit and think about things now...) Enjoy the chapter! Love, Spunky)**

Byakuya woke to find himself lazily stretched out across Renji's beautifully tattooed chest, his face buried beneath the handsome redhead's chin and his senses filled with the other man's warm, masculine scent. He felt a sting of pain in his belly, thinking of Wren for a moment, but it faded slightly as he realized one of his hands was gently rested on Renji's soft, rising and falling belly, just over the place where their baby now grew.

_This may be the only time that I am able to be this close to you, _he thought sadly, _When Renji wakes, he may decide that he is still too damaged by what happened with that other man to be with me. I could, of course, claim rights to you and force Renji to remain at Kuchiki Manor, but such behavior would only drive him further away. No, if Renji and I are to be together, then it must be his choice...our choice. Please understand, you and Renji have given me something precious. And if this is the only time that I can tell you, I will say it endless times. I love you both with all that is in me, and I would do anything to be with you._

_Anything except to steal away Renji's choices. If we are to be together, then he must choose that path of his own free will. But I do not know what will make him ready to take that path. So, I will hold on to this...this feeling of being more than just two people, but a family of our own making. Just for a moment to have that feeling, even if it leaves again, it was worth it!_

_But, for now, I think I must leave you. I would stay, but I fear that any move I make in Renji's direction right now would feel like a threat. And even if he does not feel penned in by my affections, the elders may learn of the heir, and as soon as they do, they will put pressure on us to be married. I know Renji is not ready for that. There is no choice, then._

He looked down at the redhead's troubled sleeping face, longing to kiss him, but holding back because he knew what was likely to happen if he tried. Moving slowly, so as not to wake Renji, he slipped out of the bed and retrieved his clothing. He left the bedroom, pausing in the hallway as he encountered a sleepy looking Kisuke Urahara walking towards him.

"Good morning, Captain," he said quietly, "I was just coming to check on you and Renji."

"Renji seems fine," Byakuya reported, "I infused him with my reiatsu while he was sleeping, so everything appears to be stable."

"But he hasn't been awake at all since...?"

"No. And perhaps it is better if I am not here when he does wake. He is likely to be confused. And as much as I am concerned and want to be of assistance to him, I am afraid that, no matter what I do, it will seem a threat to him. I believe that the best option is for me to go back to Soul Society. You said that you had made adjustments so that infusions don't have to be done so often. Renji is still on leave. He can remain here until his powers return and you can summon me as needed to stabilize him."

"Actually, the stabilization is something I can manage, if you'd rather not be involved, Captain."

"Why would I choose not to be involved?" Byakuya asked softly, not seeing as the door behind them cracked open and Renji peeked out at them, "This child is not just Renji's. He or she is mine as well. Do you think that I would not want to be part of my child's life?"

"It's not that," Kisuke said, shaking his head, "It's just like you said...that our buddy, Renji, is probably going to read everything through his worries about you and your clan taking over and running his life. And with the way that they drive you crazy, trying to run yours..."

"I understand," Byakuya said, his voice barely audible, "it is only that...Hisana and I never were able to bear a child. I loved her and when she died, there was nothing left to say that she had ever been there. Renji, of course, will still be here, but if I leave now and make no claim to the child, then no one will try to influence his choices."

"You're going to walk away from the person you love and your kid because...?"

"What would you have me do? Drive him further away?" Byakuya snapped, pain coming into his eyes, "We cannot be much farther apart than we are, and any more would make him do something rash. He might leave the division, or the Seireitei altogether. He ran quickly enough before when I tried to reach out to him. There is nothing left to do, but let go. If Renji wants to be with me, then he will find me. I will not hide from him. Will you please explain to him when he wakes that I am not abandoning him, but giving him the space he needs? I do not want him to misunderstand, and that seems to be all he does when it comes to me. I don't know. Perhaps if I was a peasant too, and not a noble...he would be able to..."

"Now, don't say things like that, Captain," Kisuke chided him, "Renji doesn't hold your noble birth against you. He's not that kind of person."

"You are wrong," Byakuya said solemnly, freezing Urahara in place with agonized eyes, "Renji hated me because I was a noble who stole his best friend away, and even though we mended fences and became friends, he rejected me as a lover _because I am noble born._"

"Now, you know that it's because of that creep, Masato, not..."

"If I was not noble, then Renji and I would be happily married right now and raising our child together!" Byakuya insisted, "The _only_ reason we are not is that he holds my noble birth against me. There is no other interpretation of what is happening."

"What about Wren?" asked the shopkeeper, flinching at the fresh measure of pain that entered Byakuya's expression at the mention of her name, "With her back inside..."

"I am not going to bank on that," the noble said, shaking his head, "I have bent over backwards and sacrificed my pride for that man and he walked away from me! He doesn't love me. And even if a part of him does, it isn't enough to hold a marriage together!"

"You'd marry him?" Kisuke asked, smirking at the idea, "I'll bet the elders would love that! You and another peasant?"

"Me and a _captain level shinigami with a powerful bankai_. They would not impede us. But they would interfere. It is how they are. Renji knows that, and he won't invite their interference by joining with me."

"You're not giving him much of a chance of coming around."

"He will or he won't. It is his decision," Byakuya said, trying to sound cold, but only managing to sound sad, "I have already humiliated myself for him. I only ended up looking like a fool. If what Renji needed was to make a noble pay for what that other man did to him, then he achieved a measure of that in what he did to me. I've never been so humiliated...never."

He turned away and swiftly left through a family senkaimon, leaving Urahara standing in the hallway, shaking his head and muttering, while Renji closed the door and retreated to the bed. He laid down, pretending to come awake as the door opened. He looked around the room questioningly.

"Where's Captain Kuchiki?" he asked, trying to sound as though he hadn't been watching before.

"Ah, he had to go back to the Seireitei," the shopkeeper said, moving to the redhead's side and beginning a quick examination, "He said to be sure you understood that he wasn't abandoning you, he just...had some things to do and he thought that you might need some time to reflect. A lot has happened."

"Yeah," Renji agreed, lowering his eyes, "You're right. A lot has happened, and I do need to think. I feel bad. I know he didn't mean to make me feel cornered or anything, but...I was blindsided by all of this, you know? And I don't even feel like myself with all of me back in one piece. I think before I can make peace with Captain, I have to figure out what the hell is going on in my head."

"Well, there's no pressure," Kisuke assured him, "Byakuya's not going to tell the elders about the kid. And I told him that I have a way to keep you stable so that he doesn't have to stabilize you."

A pang of guilt ran through Renji and his eyes clouded.

"But...he wants to be close to his kid. I know he does. And I'm a fucking bastard to push him away and make him miss out on all of that!"

Kisuke shrugged.

"So, go to him. Or don't go to him, Renji. The ball is in your court completely. You need to figure out what you're gonna do now."

"But it's kinda hard to take a shot when the other guy has completely left the field, ne?" Renji sighed.

"Hey, you're the one who couldn't handle him getting too close. I don't know all of your reasons, but I do know that Byakuya's taken some damage and if I was him, I wouldn't want to stand around and take it either."

"Kisuke...!"

"I'm sorry," the shopkeeper apologized, "but to be totally honest with you, I think you were Masato's victim and the guy really damaged you. And maybe you have no idea you're doing it, but you're making Byakuya the fall guy for what that asshole did to you."

"I'm not!" Renji objected, "I'm just...!"

"I know you're scared," Kisuke said reassuringly, "I understand that. But try to think of this in another way, okay? Just hear me out for a sec."

"All right," Renji said in a shuddering breath, "Fine."

"The base facts, buddy. Masato made you feel worthless to him because you were a commoner and nobles can get away with that shit."

"Yeah, I remember."

"And you just made Byakuya Kuchiki feel worthless to you because he's a noble and nobles can get away with that kind of shit and you both know it...even though you know Byakuya'd never do that to you."

Renji went rigid, the truth of the situation coming down on him like a shower of bricks.

"Fuck..." he breathed, "Fuck, fuck fuck! What the hell am I gonna do?"

"I would suggest taking a few deep breaths then getting your shit together and making a final decision. Because I just talked to Captain Kuchiki and what I saw was a guy about at the end of his rope. It's really not fair to keep him stringing along like that. You have to either reel him in or cut him loose and let the guy crash down. He's a big boy. He'll be able to handle it if you walk away. At least you're not dying. He's been through that already and it wasn't pretty."

"But I don't want to hurt him."

"And... you aren't in love with him?"

"I am!" Renji objected, "I just...I don't know if I can be a part of all of that, you know? Those elders will be all over us, trying to tell us what to do!"

"And you think Byakuya Kuchiki, a guy who _told those old fools to go to hell and married a commoner_ is gonna sit back and let them?" Kisuke asked, eyeing the redhead appraisingly, "I think you know your captain better than that. Don't you, Renji?"

Renji sucked in a breath and started to answer, but stopped and stared as Rukia burst into the room.

"Renji!" she panted, trying to catch her breath.

Renji sighed.

"Ah, I shoulda figured. He told you, didn't he? And now you're here to bust my chops too? Anyone else want to take a shot?"

"Wh-what are you babbling about?" the violet-eyed girl demanded, "Byakuya didn't tell me _anything_! He just left the manor with Tetsuya. He took a leave of absence from the military and he didn't tell the elders or anyone where he was going! What did you do to my brother, Renji? Does this have to do with Wren? Did she go with them?"

"Ugh," the redhead groaned, "He _didn't _tell you. Damn...I don't even know where to begin."

"Hey, try not to be too hard on our buddy, here," Kisuke chuckled, "He's having a pretty crappy day so far. And we don't want to get his body out of whack while he's pregnant."

"WHAT?! RENJI'S PREGNANT?" Rukia shouted, "Oh my god! You and...eh...Renji, whose baby is that?"

Renji sighed.

"Your brother's."

"But...but Byakuya's been seeing Wren. You mean he was having sex with you too?"

"W-we didn't have sex! He and Wren did, but...well, I guess we did after, but..."

"What Renji's trying to say," Kisuke explained "is that he was cut by a splitter hollow. He split into two, one male and one female. Wren was Renji's feminine half. She had sex with Byakuya and somehow Renji was the one who got pregnant."

"But where is she now?" Rukia asked worriedly, "No one's seen her since last night."

"That's because she's back together with Renji, where she belongs. Renji is just getting himself together and trying to put his ducks in a row, if you know what I mean. Byakuya left to give him some space so he can sort himself out and figure out what to do."

"What do you mean, _what to do_?" Rukia asked, frowning, "You love my brother, don't you?"

"Y-yeah," Renji said, giving her a pained look, "But..."

"Ah," Rukia sighed, a troubled look taking over her face, "I think I get it. It's about Masato, isn't it?"

"Yeah," Renji admitted.

Rukia went abnormally quiet, surprising the redhead with her lack of a reaction.

"Rukia," he said finally, "aren't you going to hit me over the head and tell me to get my ass out of here and go talk to him?"

Rukia swallowed hard, looking briefly at Kisuke, then back at her friend.

"I do think you need to find him and talk to him," she confessed, lowering her eyes, "But remember, Renji, I _know_ how much Masato hurt you. I want to tell you to _just get over it_, but it must be hard to trust someone like that after you've been hurt."

"Yeah."

"But, you love him, don't you?" she asked calmly.

"Yeah."

"You don't really believe he's like that bastard, Masato, do you?"

"No."

"And you know that once Byakuya falls in love with you, he will be faithful to you until the end, don't you? Think of how long he has mourned my sister..."

"Yeah," Renji said, nodding and accepting Rukia's offered embrace.

The two held each other silently for several minutes before Rukia spoke again.

"Then, if you love my brother and you know that he is trustworthy, WHY THE HELL AREN'T YOU OUT THERE LOOKING FOR HIM TO TELL HIM THAT!"

She punctuated the words with a sound smack on the head.

"IDIOT!"

"Ah!" Renji grunted, "Good to see some things are back to normal. It wouldn't be a fucking _day of the week if you weren't hitting me on the head and calling me names_, would it!"

"Well, you're stupid. I can't help that," Rukia huffed, "But I've known that since we were kids in the Rukongai."

"A fucking lot you know!" Renji shouted back, "You got out of the gutter on a free pass, you little rich girl! What the hell do you know about anything? Live in a fancy mansion with servants and pretty gardens and so much good food you could drown in it! What I wouldn't have given back then if he had taken me along with him instead of you!"

Rukia's lips smiled.

"See?" she chuckled, "You just proved how stupid you are. He _is_ choosing you this time, Renji. You just have to do what I did, the day he asked me to come and live with him. You have to decide if you want to be chosen by him. It's not that hard. Just listen to your heart and you'll make the right decision. Isn't that what you told me when Byakuya came to me?"

Renji froze as a mental image of Wren appeared to him.

_She was my heart, wasn't she? And she was able to love him, even though she was there and was hurt by Masato. Maybe Rukia's right. I think I need to go and talk to him._

_But where is he?_

_Where would he go?_

Byakuya's words returned to him suddenly.

_I will not hide from him._

He strained his mind for the meaning beneath the words.

_What did he mean? _

_What was he really saying when he said those words to Kisuke?_

"Look, Rukia, Kisuke, thanks for the pep talk. I have to go. I need to do some thinking, okay?"

"You _still_ need to think about this?"

"I need to think of what to say to him," Renji explained, "Could you just open a family senkaimon for me? I want to go back and Kisuke told me I would have to wear a limiter and avoid overdoing things while I'm knocked up."

"Fine, fool!" Rukia huffed, opening the doorway for him, "But shouldn't I go with you in case of trouble?"

"I'll be fine," Renji assured her, "I just have to find a way to let him know how I really feel about him."

"Get going," Rukia said, hugging him, "Don't keep him waiting anymore."

Renji left the two looking after him and ran into the precipice world, his head spinning with thoughts.

_I wonder if he was referring to a certain place that I would know of to look that others wouldn't..._

He was so deeply involved in his thoughts that he didn't hear the approach of the cleaner until it was entering the corridor he was in.

"Crap!" he muttered, shaking his head and taking a turn off the designated pathway, "Stupid thing! Why does it always seem to show up at the wrong time?"

He sensed the direction of the exit and moved towards it, breaking into a run as the cleaner followed the path he had taken and moved towards him.

"Damnit!" he panted, looking back over his shoulder, "What? Do I have a sign on me that says 'Fuck with me. I can't fight back?' Get away, you son of a bitch!"

He was stunned as he ran into a solid wall and found himself trapped with the cleaner moving towards him.

"Shit, what do I do? What do I do?" he mused, looking for an escape.

He spotted an unmarked exit and swallowed hard, throwing caution to the wind and dashing through as the cleaner passed. He let out a yelp as he realized there was no ground beneath his feet and went into a long, frightening fall that ended in a horrid thud that plunged him into blackness.

_Kami...I am so screwed!_


	17. Reflection

**Chapter 17: Reflection**

**(Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand, this one is for my longtime online buddy, Alabirdie, whose birthday was this weekend and she really loves Renji in distress. Happy birthday, Alabirdie! Also for Walkure, and everyone else who has waited so patiently for more of this one! Enjoy! Love, Spunky)**

"Do you remember the first time we came here together, watashi no itoko?" Byakuya asked, resting the back of his head on Tetsuya's shoulder as the two looked up into the lovely night sky together.

Above them, glittering stars winked through the spaces between the sakura branches, lighting the petals that drifted gracefully down and came to rest on the two men and on the ground all around them.

Tetsuya nodded sleepily.

"It was just after you brought me to Kuchiki Manor to live with you," Tetsuya recalled, "I was still half-wild, and knew nothing about living outside of the prison. I didn't know who I could trust, except for you, Torio and Koji, and Aratani. But, you brought me to this place and you told me that it was where you were conceived...and it is where your heart is..._Sakura no Kaiyou_ (ocean of blossoms)."

"This is a property that my father acquired before he married my mother. Everything here was made exactly to their design...the house, the gardens and the grounds all reflect the peace and beauty they saw in the world. It was a place my father and I would return to often in the years that followed her death. And when I married Hisana and we learned that she was dying, I brought her here so that she would be surrounded by things peaceful and beautiful for the time that she had in this world."

"I remember," Tetsuya said, closing his eyes, "You were ever loving and kind to her. She was very lucky to have you, just as I was lucky to be rescued by you. Renji, too, is lucky to have you in his life...and he does know this, Byakuya. He is merely confused by all that has happened."

"I am glad that I could confide in you," Byakuya sighed, closing his eyes for a moment, then looking up into the sky again, "It was a weight, feeling so close to Renji while I was with Wren, but then finding out how far apart Renji and I really are. But maybe he just couldn't forgive me. As much as things changed for the better after our battle with each other over Rukia, maybe Renji could not let go of the horrid things I said and the way I mocked him in that battle."

"I don't think that's what it is," Tetsuya argued gently, "Byakuya, you know that Renji was hurt very badly, and that people like Renji...people like me, who are hurt very badly, need patience, guidance and love to heal fully. And sometimes a person is never really whole again after such torments. I was lucky. I was young enough that with the love that you and the others around me gave me, I was able to understand that what happened to me was a misfortune, yes. But it didn't have to mean that I couldn't have a beautiful life. I have everything that I ever wanted, partly because of you and partly because when you loved me and comforted me, I found my strength became enough to move forward. Renji is strong too. And now that, as you said, he is whole in spirit, he can heal fully, given time, care and love."

"Do you really think so?" Byakuya asked in a haunted tone, "I'm not so sure. I felt such pain in him when we made love last night, Tetsuya. He was just going through with it so that he would regain his full self. As much as it tears at my heart to admit, Renji just doesn't love me enough to fight for us. And one cannot sustain love unless both are willing to fight for it. You know this."

"I do," Tetsuya agreed, "And I do not think that you should give up on Renji just yet. Perhaps it is good to be away for a time so that there is no pressure on him. But we should return soon and you should leave that door open while there is still some hope."

"It is a thin hope," Byakuya sighed wearily, "but I want to believe that Renji will be able to move beyond his pain, at some point and love me."

"Ah...Byakuya," Tetsuya said, shaking his head and squeezing his cousin's hand gently, "Renji _already_ loves you. The only question he must resolve is if he can trust in that love you share. And you should remember from what happened with me that trust is not something that comes easily to one whose heart has been broken."

"I know that," the clan leader said in a softer, more wounded tone, "But every time he pushes me away, my heart breaks a little more. The question becomes how much will it be broken? If he does return my love, will there be any part of it left to love him?"

"Of course there will," Tetsuya answered reassuringly, "You must turn your mind to other things while Renji works through his thoughts. Trust him to come to understand that he doesn't have to live in fear anymore."

"You are right," the clan leader said, closing his eyes and relaxing, "There is nothing to be gained by despairing about it."

"Yes."

"Renji will come to his senses and accept that we should be together or he will walk away. Either way, I will have to accept his decision. The part I had to play in resolving his heart is done. I must trust that he will make the best decision for himself and I will live with the outcome. I do just...hope that he will allow me to know our child...even if he never tells the child who I am to him or her."

"Oh, you don't think Renji would keep your child from knowing you, ne? Even in his pain, he would not do something like that. It wouldn't just be a cruelty to you, it would hurt the child not to know his or her father."

"Even if that father is noble born?" the clan leader asked, a hard edge to his voice.

"I don't think that, under any circumstances, Renji would steal that from the two of you. He is misguided, but he is not cruel."

"I opened my heart to him completely, stripped away everything that marks me as noble and offered myself to him. He turned his back and walked out, Tetsuya. He made me feel worthless...meaningless...beneath him. All of the things that Masato made him feel, he made me feel. If he loves me, then why would he do that to me?"

Tetsuya gazed back at his cousin through sad eyes.

"He is just a person who was hurt and was trying to protect his own heart. I don't think he realized how badly he was breaking yours."

"No. Given that he is surrounded by his own pain, he cannot even perceive that his is causing me pain. My head knows that, but my heart doesn't feel like being trod on anymore."

"Rest, Byakuya," Tetsuya said, running his fingers lightly through his cousin's silken hair, "Let the harsh emotions drain away and just think of how beautiful this place is."

"I will try."

"Good. Sleep for a while. Arashi and I will watch over you."

"As always. Thank you, Tetsuya."

"You are welcome, Cousin."

"At least I am welcome in your arms...even if your love is brotherly and not romantic. Romantic love never seems to stay, does it? And where it leaves it always leaves a trail of damage in its wake."

"Shh, don't think on that. Sleep," Tetsuya urged him, sending a gentle swirl of reiatsu into his resting body to soothe him.

Byakuya fell silent, warmed by his cousin's constant presence, the gentle scent of sakura and the soft fall of petals onto their exposed skin.

XXXXXXXXXX

_Byakuya found himself walking within the dark, quiet confines of the precipice world, his heart aching and feeling as cold and empty as the scenery around him. He wasn't sure when he had entered the Dangai and couldn't remember where he had been headed, but only had a sense of being lost there._

_Droplets of reiatsu leaked from the ceiling and he heard the distant sound of the cleaner, roaming the corridors. He might have heard footsteps, but wasn't sure if it was that or the fall of reiatsu. Both sounded loud in that place._

_"Byakuya?"_

_He paused at the sound of Renji's voice and turned around. To his surprise, he still stood alone in the precipice world and there was no sign of the redhead to go with the voice he had heard. Byakuya stoo silently, listening deeply, but all was quiet around him. He sighed softly and continued walking._

_"Byakuya!" Renji's voice called, more urgently, making him stop and look around again._

_"Renji?" he called back, turning in every direction, "Renji, where are you?"_

_"Byakuya!" Renji cried again._

_"I'm here! Tell me where you are!"_

_He closed his eyes and extended his senses, honing in on Renji's familiar presence and sensing him in the same direction as the cleaner._

_"Renji!" he hissed, breaking into flash steps._

_He followed the sounds of the redhead's voice, a chill growing inside as the sound of the cleaner grew louder, until the corridor rumbled. He caught sight of a flash of red hair within a nearby passageway and turned quickly to follow. Finally, he spotted the redhead's back and splayed out hair where it had come loose and was now being riled as he fled from the cleaner. It followed them through a few twists and turns, gradually forcing Renji into a corridor that ended suddenly._

_"Renji!" the noble cried, staring helplessly as the monstrous cleaner closed in._

_At the last moment, the redhead burst through a doorway into one of the pocket dimensions. Byakuya fired himself at the doorway, only to be suddenly repulsed. He cast a flash of reiatsu at the door, turning as the blinding light of the cleaner fell over him and he was sucked inside._

Byakuya sat up, panting and sweating, staring fixedly in front of him as Tetsuya's voice sounded next to him.

"Byakuya, are you all right? You've had a nightmare?"

The clan leader felt his cousin's soothing touch and his racing heart calmed slightly.

"What was it?"

"It was Renji," Byakuya explained, calm returning to his voice, "I was walking in the precipice world and I heard him calling my name. I followed the sound and he was running from the cleaner. It chased him into a corner and he entered one of the pocket dimensions. I was swept up by the cleaner."

"That is horrible," Tetsuya said, continuing his soothing touches, "but it was just a dream, ne? You can simply sense his presence to relieve your worries."

"Yes, I suppose so," Byakuya replied.

His eyes closed again and he focused on finding his vice captain's reiatsu. After several moments, his own reiatsu began to flicker with concern, and a few minutes after, a chill swept through his insides.

"What is it?" Tetsuya asked, sitting up.

"I can't feel his presence," Byakuya answered, his eyes widening, "Tetsuya..."

"I cannot sense him either!" Tetsuya added, coming to his feet as his cousin did the same.

"His reiatsu was low," Byakuya mused, "but I was still sensing it before. Now, there is nothing!"

"But what about what you saw?" Tetsuya inquired, sending a flicker of reiatsu out to summon his equine companion, "Do you think it was just a dream...or...?"

"Or could it have been the connection between us created by the child he carries?" Byakuya surmised, turning in the direction of his cousin's approaching stallion. He paused as his soul communicator buzzed.

"Yes?"

"Byakuya," said Kisuke's voice.

"Renji?" the noble asked quickly.

"He left here a little while ago, using your family's senkaimon. Rukia opened it for him. He was going to talk to you, but...he never left the precipice world."

"Do you have a location?"

"His reiatsu was weak."

"I was sensing it before, even from here, although I do not sense it now."

"That may be because you are connected through the baby," Kisuke posited, "So, you may be the only one who can find him. Rukia, Ichigo and that kid from your division...Rikichi, are searching for him, but we don't have anything yet."

"I am coming," Byakuya said tersely, snapping the communicator shut and launching himself onto Arashi's back as the stallion skidded to a halt beside him. Tetsuya leapt up behind him and urged the stallion into motion with a flicker of thought and a light touch of his heel. Arashi raced forward, into the senkaimon that opened before them, carrying them into the dark, cold confines of the precipice world.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Wh-what...what th'hell?" Renji mused, trying to open his eyes, but encountering only an odd grayness, "What happened? Fuck, did I go blind?"

"You did not," said a voice that instantly made the redhead relax and smile in relief.

"Byakuya!"

"Who did you expect?" said the noble, lifting something that had been covering his forehead and eyes and restoring his ability to see.

"Thank kami!" the redhead breathed, "How the hell did you find me? How did you even know I was in trouble?"

"How did you think I knew?" asked the noble, slipping a hand into his, "Don't you know we are connected? You and I are connected by the child in you. And you are connected to other people as well. We were drawn to you when you entered this place...you see?"

Renji sat up slowly, looking around. He blinked in surprise.

_Tetsuya and fleabag? Rukia? Ichigo? Chad? Orihime? Uryu? Rikichi? Shuuhei? Ikkaku? Yumichika? Captain Zaraki? All of these guys came to save me?_

_Really?_

He felt an odd flicker inside as he met Byakuya's dark, affectionate eyes.

"Rest now," the noble said, washing his face gently.

"But I wanna talk to everyone!"

"Nonsense," Byakuya chided him, "You can talk after you have rested. Go to sleep now."

The others settled around him, a few moving off to set up tents in the forested area, a few going to look for firewood, and a few standing guard over the camp. It all seemed such a normal and soothing thing that it lulled the redhead easily. But as he drifted towards sleep, again, he felt an odd nagging feeling inside.

_This is too weird._

_It's too easy._

_To wake up and have just who I wanted to see...to have everyone I care about show up. Something doesn't seem right with all of this._

_What's going on?_

He opened his eyes and found Byakuya still sitting quietly at his side.

"Hey, uh, Captain?"

"Didn't I tell you to rest?" Byakuya asked, arching a fine eyebrow.

"Y-yeah, but I'm kinda hungry."

"Oh? What would you like?"

"Eh...I think some curried chicken, extra spicy," he said, watching the noble carefully.

A moment later, the scent of curry drifted across his senses.

_Okay, something's really not right here! Byakuya knows I hate spicy food! And the things he said...What did I expect? How did I think he knew where to find me? What did I want to eat? This guy, whoever he is...is a total fake!_

_But...he looks to me like Byakuya. The others look like my friends. If this is an enemy, then what does he want?_

Are you all right?" Byakuya asked.

_He's careful not to say my name. Does he even know it if I don't tell him?_

"Yeah, I'll be fine, Captain," he answered, trying to sound relaxed, "I was just thinking to myself, Ryuu, you are one lucky guy to have such good friends to bail your ass out."

"Yes, Ryuu," Byakuya answered, nodding, "You are quite lucky."

_So...he's using things I say, and maybe things I think? Who is this guy? He's really creepy. I wonder what he really looks like..._

"You look pale. Try to rest, Ryuu," Byakuya said firmly.

"R-right," Renji said, lying down again and pretending to drift off.

He watched out of one slitted eye as person impersonating Byakuya continued to sit at his side. He squinted hard, trying to see though whatever was altering his perception. With deep concentration, he began to see a dim outline around the image of Byakuya. The outline flickered and refused to come fully into focus, but what he saw was enough warning.

_I can't fall asleep._

_I don't dare._

_Thing is, I was out cold before and it didn't kill me. So, what is it waiting for?_

Renji's heart froze.

_I showed him when I thought about them and he made images of them appear!_

_Byakuya, Tetsuya, Rukia, all of them!_

_That thing knows there are friends coming to find me. the son of a bitch wants to lure them here and capture them too!_


	18. Love That Makes Me Fearless

**Chapter 18: Love that Makes Me Fearless**

**(This one has one more chapter to go, then will move into the sequel The Woman in Me Part 2: White Blossom...After the birth of the heir, Byakuya and Renji prepare to for their wedding. There's just one small hitch that flares up when Byakuya offers Renji a special gift on the night of their engagement announcement. Enjoy! Love, Spunky)**

Renji laid still and kept his eyes closed, feeling a shiver of anxiety inside at the close presence of the being impersonating Byakuya.

_I wonder what this is. The Dangai is where Central 46 and the twelfth imprison some of the most creepy things. I don't think I wanna know what this thing actually looks like. And I've got no doubts about what it eats. And it's intelligent enough to use a little strategy to get more food than just me too. I'm in real trouble here, having nothing to use against the damned thing but my good looks and personal fucking charm!_

_I know what's going to happen._

_Yeah, I know. _

_Because it became clear to me when we were together that Captain really does love me. And I knew already what happens when he loves someone. He gives all of himself. That's what he gave to Hisana for the short time they were together. That's what he gave Tetsuya when he rescued him from that prison. It doesn't matter if the love that Byakuya gives you is romantic or brotherly, it's that heart of his that just can't stop giving, but will keep on giving until it breaks apart...all for love._

_And I took that heart and broke it last night._

_I should let this thing eat me right now._

_But that wouldn't be an answer, would it? It wouldn't stop him from coming, from crashing through the barriers between us and destroying whatever threatens. Here I've treated this guy like he was a cookie cutter of Masato, when the truth is that Masato isn't worthy of breathing the same air as that man. As much as he can be hard-nosed, stubborn as hell and crushingly powerful, he doesn't really think we stand on different levels. For Masato, being noble means being above everyone else. For Captain, being noble means leading others to be better people...He follows the rules so that others will, fights to the ends of his strength and he doesn't think you have to be noble to stand with him. You only have to have a noble heart._

_Someone like that has given his pure heart to a mongrel like me._

"Why are you crying, Ryuu?" his captor said, touching his face gently, "Don't you know that you are surrounded by people who care about you? You are going to be all right. Just sleep for a while."

"No way," Renji hissed in a low, deadly voice, his eyes lighting up from within, "If I'm going down, I'm not going to be taken without a fight. I may not have my powers, but even in this state, I can bring enough from inside me to do what needs to be done."

"What are you talking about?" the being asked, letting the vision of Byakuya Renji was seeing flicker slightly, "You are not making sense. Be calm now. You will re-injure yourself."

Renji ignored him and closed his eyes, focusing on the part of him that had been Wren.

_Hey, I need you with me, okay? I think you're the part of me that best understands we can't let Byakuya or any of our other friends enter here. Whatever this thing is, it's god-awful and there's a good reason it's locked up in this dimension. So, let's give everything. I know it means we'll die, and that this kid Byakuya gave us will have to come with us. It will break his heart all over again, but at least he'll still be alive. I can't let him die for me._

_I can't._

Renji could almost see Wren's disapproving face and feel the impact of her hand striking his head.

_You're such an idiot!_

_First, you hated him for giving your friend a good home and you tried to stab him in the back. Then, you ran from him when all he wanted to do was to love you. He made himself completely vulnerable to you and you left him. And after that, he forgot the hurt of it and came to help us be put back together and asked for nothing in return, even though it broke his heart. And now, you know that all that man wants to do is to protect you. So, what does poor little pathetic used Renji want to do? He wants to sacrifice himself and the child Byakuya gave him, instead of letting himself be protected by the person who loves him! You are unbelievable..._

_You know the answer, stupid!_

_You know what you have to do._

_Let go of what happened before._

_Trust him._

_Call him to you._

Renji felt his captor's finger dry away his tears and heard him say something in a voice that sounded less like Byakuya's and more threatening.

"What are you doing Ryuu?" he asked in a deep, rumbling voice.

_All right, then. No sacrifice. But I'd better make my next move count. A tiny bit of life force...just enough for that flash step he tried so hard to teach me. I couldn't do it before, but I'd sure as hell better be able to now._

_I feel Byakuya's reiatsu...the real Byakuya._

_But he needs to fix on exactly where I am. I only have to break free for long enough to call him here._

"Ryuu?"

"I'M NOT FUCKING RYUU, YOU SON OF A BITCH!" Renji howled, letting a small amount of his life force escape through his spirit centers and engaging his flash step, "I'M RENJI ABARAI, VICE CAPTAIN OF SQUAD SIX."

The image of Byakuya that his captor had been wearing broke apart as Renji moved, and the sight of the misshapen, tentacled horror sent chills through the escaping redhead. It roared and opened its huge mouth, then chomped down on the afterimage that Renji had left behind and roared loud enough to shake the ground all around them.

Renji touched down in a small stand of trees near the beast, panting after the unnatural use of his life force.

_It'll take a while for my life force to be fully restored. So, let's make this count._

He looked up at the sky, smiling as he remembered the first time he had ever felt Byakuya's approaching reiatsu.

_That time, standing in that room and having him just walk by me, I could barely breathe. But right now, even though my powers are shut down, I'm still way stronger than I was that day. And he's the reason. He's done everything to make me stronger and all I've given him is grief. Well, those days are gone now. No more looking back. No more being stupid. No more blinding myself to the truth._

_Well, it's about time, _Wren's sarcastic voice whispered in his head.

_Byakuya, I'm sorry I hurt you._

_I'll make it up to you right now._

Renji's arm rose and pointed into the sky, and he called Zabimaru to his hand. He borrowed one more time from his life force, sending it through the weapon and aiming it at the sky, where he had sensed his captain approaching.

A shaft of red light lanced out of the tip of his blade, soaring up into the sky and striking the doorway that led back into the precipice world, lighting it up brightly.

_Unfortunately, I also just gave my position away._

Renji broke into a run as he heard the crashing sound of the beast behind him breaking heedlessly through the trees.

"COME BACK HERE!" the creature boomed.

"Not in this lifetime!" Renji yelled, running faster.

The beast chasing him started to answer, but went silent again, staring in surprise as the dimension's doorway glowed a sudden bright white, then shattered.

"CAPTAIN!" Renji screamed, firing another shaft of red light into the sky, "I'M HERE!"

_Be careful, Captain._

All at once, Renji realized that he had come to a steep drop-off, and he skidded to a stop, turning back to face the horror that was approaching him. He looked into its monstrous face, but strangely felt no fear at all.

"You're about to get trashed, you stupid bastard!" he shouted belligerently.

The beast turned its head, sensing someone powerful approaching.

Something pure white and blinding burst through the doorway and fired itself at the monster. Renji felt his knees go weak as the white blur he saw resolved into the heartbreakingly beautiful, angelic form of Byakuya's released Shuukei Hakuteiken.

_His final form._

_He didn't even bother holding back at all._

Renji inhaled in surprise as he realized that something else was happening around Byakuya's approaching release. Ahead of Byakuya's strike several volleys of ice blades, a storm of freezing snow, a fiery red blast and a huge Getsuga Tenshou pounded down on the surprised creature, making it roar and flare with power.

_Tetsuya._

_Rukia._

_Rikichi._

_Ichigo._

_They all came to save me._

_And..._

He watched in awe as Byakuya's haloed final form crashed down, cracking the rock around them, shattering more trees and leaving a gaping hole splattered with wicked looking greenish sludge that could only be the remains of the destroyed monster.

Renji smiled and lowered Zabimaru as a flash step sounded and Byakuya appeared in front of him, looking unhurt, but more than a little concerned.

"Are you all right, Renji?" he asked quickly.

Renji gazed for a moment at the lovely spectacle in front of him and felt his heart flutter helplessly in his chest.

"Yeah, I'm okay. Thank you for coming for me."

Byakuya paused, studying him quietly for a moment.

"Tetsuya and the others will see you back to Karakura Town," he said solemnly, cleaning the muck from his blade, then sliding it back into the sheath as he turned to leave, "I am glad you are safe."

"Hey uh, Captain?"

Byakuya went still, facing away from him and saying nothing.

"You don't have to go. I...want to talk to you alone, if that's okay."

"As you wish," the noble said softly, "Tetsuya?"

Byakuya's cousin appeared before them, seated on Arashi's back. He slid down and laid a hand on the stallion's neck, steadying him as Byakuya nodded in Renji's direction and Tetsuya extended a hand to help him mount.

"Just don't toss me off, okay Fleabag?" Renji said, smirking, "I'm carrying an extra."

Arashi gave an equine snicker and flicked his tail at the redhead as he climbed on, but went still and quiet as Byakuya mounted behind him.

A feeling of warmth and another flutter went through Renji as Byakuya's arms wrapped around his waist and Arashi flash stepped back towards the precipice world.

"Are you sure you're all right? That thing didn't hurt you at all?" the noble asked.

"No. It was pretending to be you...actually, pretty damned badly too. I think it was trying to lure more people here to eat. But I don't think it was counting on facing down that much power. You guys didn't pull any punches."

"No," Byakuya agreed, letting one hand spread out over the redhead's lower abdomen, "Too much was at risk."

Renji gave a little sigh and leaned back into the noble's chest, breathing in his warm sakura scent and smiling.

"Thanks again for coming for me, Captain."

"I will never fail to be there when you need me, Renji."

"I know that, and I am really, really grateful."

Byakuya sighed.

"But...?"

"No buts," Renji said, closing his eyes and relaxing in Byakuya's embrace, "I'm grateful, that's all."

"Hmmm, well, no thanks are necessary."

"I know that too."

The two stopped talking and held onto each other quietly as Arashi carried them through the precipice world, then out an unfamiliar exit. Renji made a soft exclamation of surprise and appreciation as they landed in a beautiful, tree-lined courtyard, amidst flurries of sakura and plum blossoms. The house ahead of them, although not exceedingly large, was finely made and gave the redhead an instant feeling of being at home.

"What is this place?" he whispered, "This is...amazing!"

"Sakura no Kaiyou," Byakuya said softly in Renji's ear, making a blush rise on the redhead's flesh, "This is my true home, Renji. It is where I was born."

"Well, it's really beautiful," Renji said appreciatively, "just like you."

Byakuya looked back at him questioningly, but said nothing in reply. His arms released the redhead and he slid down, then helped Renji down from Arashi's back.

"Go on, now," Byakuya said, giving the horse a pat on the shoulder and sending him trotting away, "Are you hungry, Renji?"

"Y-yeah," the redhead confessed, looking somewhat sheepish, "I didn't think it was safe accepting food from that thing, so..."

"Very well. Come."

Renji followed the noble into the house, which proved to be as lovely and homey on the inside as outside.

"Lord Byakuya," an old woman greeted him, "Welcome home, sir."

"Thank you, Matsuko. We will have lunch in the garden room."

"Of course, sir," the old woman answered, bowing and turning away.

Byakuya led Renji out of the entry and down one of the long hallways, to a room decorated in warm earthen tones and having a low table with a number of pillows around it. The double doors that led into the peaceful gardens had been left open, and a few blossoms fluttered in from outside.

"Would you please sit down?" Byakuya invited him, watching as Renji knelt on one of the pillows, then kneeling alongside him.

"Thanks."

Byakuya waited as tea was served and the meal laid out, then excused his attendants and began to address the meal in front of him. Famished after his encounter with danger, Renji dove into his food, unable to hold back as his stomach growled noisily and ached with impatience.

"S-sorry," he apologized, "I can't help it..."

"I understand," Byakuya assured him, "Kisuke said that you would require more food to support the baby's growth. We can talk when we are finished eating."

Renji felt a sense of relief at not having to talk things out right away. He mind turned over the pieces of his scattered thoughts, organizing themselves slowly as he and the noble consumed their respective meals. As he finished, Renji sighed in contentment and leaned back against the pile of pillows behind him.

Without meaning to, he drifted off to sleep.

When he woke again, he found himself curled up alone in the pile of tumbled pillows with a cloak touched with Byakuya's pleasant scent laid over him. He sat up and looked around, smiling and scratching the back of his neck as a male attendant entered the room.

"Hey Torio," Renji greeted the young man, "I guess I drifted off after eating. Sorry."

"It's fine," Torio assured him, "Lord Byakuya only asked us to look after you while he took his evening walk in the gardens."

"Oh. Well, can you take me to where he is?" Renji inquired.

"Of course, Master Abarai," Torio said, joining him and leading him out the garden doors.

Renji found himself enchanted all over again by the way the courtyard looked at night, with the falling blossoms gently lit with moonlight. Torio led him off past the stable, then onto a small trail that led up to the top of a small cliff, overlooking a moonlit lake and darkened forest. Byakuya reclined beneath one of the trees, looking up at the moon with a gentle, peaceful expression.

"Abarai," he greeted the redhead as Renji joined him and Torio turned back in the direction of the house.

"Hi Captain. Sorry I fell asleep."

"It's fine. You were likely exhausted by your ordeal in the precipice world."

"Yeah, but I'm fed and rested now. I'm ready to talk if you are."

Byakuya kept his eyes focused up into the sky and gave no answer.

"You know, you didn't have to leave after helping me get myself back together in Karakura Town."

"I didn't want to put any pressure on you."

"I know, and I'm grateful," the redhead went on, "But the truth is that once I was all in one piece again, I started to put things together. And then, when I fell into that weird dimension and that thing captured me, it finally hit me how stupid I was being."

"I don't think you were being stupid," Byakuya suggested, "You were confused."

"You don't need to make excuses for me, okay? I know I was a real asshole and I hurt you, not just when we were in the Rukon, but all over the place and in a hundred ways."

"Renji..."

"You'd have every right to tell me to go to hell at this point. I wouldn't blame you if you did. I was as much of an idiot as Rukia and Wren both told me I was being. And I'm sorry for that. Really sorry."

"You don't need to apologize."

"Yeah, I do," Renji insisted, "It's true I was hurt and it took me a long time to get over it, but that wasn't your fault and it was wrong of me to make you pay for what Masato did to me. You're not anything like that guy. And the truth is, he couldn't hold a candle to you."

He smiled at the blush that rose on the noble's face and throat as he continued.

"Sure, you and I got off to a rough start, and it took a long time to figure things out, but I know now what you were trying so hard to tell me, and I agree. We're good together, and if you can find it in your heart to forgive me for being such a pain in the ass, I'd really like for us to raise this baby together."

Byakuya's eyes widened, and he looked back at the redhead with a cautious expression.

"Are you sure? You seemed so unsettled at the idea before. And I couldn't promise you that the elders wouldn't try to interfere."

"Bring'em on," Renji chuckled, "I'm sure you won't let them walk all over you. You're their leader, right? If they interfere, they're going to be borrowing trouble. Yeah, I'm sure."

Byakuya stared back at him, lost for words as Renji laughed and pulled him into a long, hard, open-mouthed kiss.

"I love you, Captain," he sighed, "I think I've loved you forever. And I'm not afraid to say it anymore."

Byakuya's flushed lips spread into a warm smile.

"Well, it is good to see that you have finally come to your senses. I was beginning to be worried I might actually have to wed that horrid man who broke your heart. I could have borne it just to see he never did such a thing again, but I much prefer this."

"Me too!" Renji laughed, as the noble brought him down onto his back in the fallen blossoms for a more amorous bout of kissing that ended with their clothes in disarray.

"Are you sure you are all right with this?" Byakuya asked, teasing his entrance lightly and earning a decidedly wanton response from the aroused redhead.

He joined their bodies in slow, measured thrusts, then paused, looking down into Renji's affectionate eyes.

"I love you too," he confessed, admiring the way the moon reflected in Renji's dark brown orbs, then interrupting the redhead's reply as his hips began to move.

Renji groaned in absolute bliss, spreading his legs wider and welcoming the deep penetration and the tickle of the other man's quickened breaths on his flushed skin. He moved with the noble, moaning and panting heedlessly as the pleasure in his body mounted until it seemed to claim him completely.

Byakuya's body shuddered against his, and melting heat filled the redhead inside, drawing a howl of pleasure that made Byakuya look down at him disapprovingly.

"C-captain!"

"Don't call me that when we are making love," the noble chided him.

"Byakuya!" Renji corrected himself breathlessly, wrapping his legs tightly around the other man to keep their bodies joined.

They laid still for a long time afterwards, exchanging slower kisses and enjoying the bright moonlight and the feeling of falling blossoms tickling their skin.

_Thank you, Wren._

_If it hadn't been for that side of me coming out and smacking me in the head, I don't know if I ever would have known this much happiness again._

He could almost hear his female counterpart's amused response.

_Don't mention it._

_Just don't fuck things up and make me have to come out and kick your ass for it._


	19. Little Red

**Chapter 19: Little Red**

**(Happy Birthday wishes to my dear friend and benefactor, Walkure Leaud. I hope your birthday is as fun as mine was yesterday. Hopefully, the concluding chapter of this story will brighten your special day. Yes, this one's done and Spunky's on a 'finishing' rampage as June draws slowly to a close. I feel a little bad that I didn't give Tetsuya the number of updates I wanted to, but there are still a few more days to do some more before moving on to Grimmjow and Ichigo's birthday month. I have a new Ichigo/Grimmjow story coming, so watch out for that. Ah, so much happening! Enjoy the chapter...and don't kill me for the slight cliffie end. The next installment, The Woman in Me Part 2: White Blossom will bring answers. Take care! Love, Spunky)**

(six months later)

"You didn't eat much of your breakfast this morning," Byakuya commented, kneeling behind his red-haired lover under a large sakura tree and reaching around his sides and beneath his clothing to rub his rounded belly gently, at the same time, infusing it with balancing reiatsu, "Are you feeling all right?"

"Well, yeah," Renji sighed sleepily, "just a little restless. It's weird not being able to roll onto my stomach when I sleep. And I keep feeling all kinds of little twitches and throbs in there. I guess the kid's gonna be a dancer."

"I think that is more a reflection of our child's relative strength than an indication of his or her athletic ability," Byakuya corrected him, "but I understand. You are very close to delivering. It should be any day."

"Is that why you took this week off and brought me back here to where you were born?" Renji asked, leaning deeper into the clan leader's embrace and closing his eyes.

"Yes. I want to be here from the moment it begins. Kisuke Urahara is in here as well, and will be attending you during the birth."

"He doesn't think anything bad will happen, does he?" the redhead asked, looking alarmed.

"Oh, no, of course not," Byakuya assured him, "It is just that he was the one who studied the splitter hollow that attacked you, so he has the most knowledge about how it affected you. Also, he wants to watch how things progress so that we can use the information if others are attacked as you were."

"Oh, okay," Renji sighed, beginning to drift off in his captain's arms.

_He has been so sedate and sleepy for the last few days. And the reiatsu within him feels different..._

"Byakuya?"

"Hmmm?"

"Are the elders pissed that I didn't want us to get married until after the baby was born? I didn't mean to cause a fuss. It's just I didn't want to look like any more of a freak than I already am in front of everyone. It's enough being your male, commoner boyfriend, but being pregnant and emotional, I just couldn't handle all of that."

"First of all, you do not look like a freak," Byakuya chided him, "So do not say things like that. Secondly, the elders are aware of your situation. And I think they are fine with waiting, especially in that we can plan a fitting affair that way and not be terribly rushed."

"I'm sorry I'm being such a pain in the ass," Renji rambled on, "And I'm even more damned sorry for putting you through all of that..."

"Renji," Byakuya said firmly, taking the redhead's face in his hands, "I told you not to concern yourself with that. What happened before is not nearly so important as what is happening right now. Let us keep our focus on that and not worry about the rest."

"But I was horrible to you!"

"And I am pleased that you have resolved your issues about seeing me. I couldn't be happier, actually. Whatever we endured to reach this point, I think it is worth the struggle to have gotten here.. I assure you that whatever pain you inflicted before, you have given me twice as much pleasure these last six months."

"Liar!" Renji laughed, "I don't think I've even come close. All I seem to do is bother you with everything I need and everything I'm worried about."

"You are not bothering me at all."

"Oh, be honest. Of course I am!" Renji insisted.

"Then, if you really feel the need to bring things back into balance, I am sure that you can find little ways to bring me pleasure...walks in the gardens, letting me share old myths and stories from the archive, dinners under the moon and stars..."

"But those things all end up making me want to make love to you, and I'm too big to really be all that good in bed."

Byakuya gave him a rare smile and let one caressing hand slowly slide down from where it was rubbing the redhead's belly.

"You can be assured that you have never disappointed me when we make love, Renji," he intoned seductively.

"But I'm...!"

"So, we work around that," said, capturing Renji under the chin and coaxing him into a long, wet over-the-shoulder kiss.

One hand continued to gently infuse the redhead's belly with calming reiatsu while the other teased him down further, earning a low, warning growl as Renji began to feel the hunger of arousal and the concerns that had been nagging at him started to disappear.

"Damn, that feels good," Renji sighed, closing his eyes, "But I owe you more pleasure, so let me pleasure you for a while, okay?"

"That would be fine, Renji," Byakuya said, relaxing and laying back on a bed of fallen pink petals as Renji turned and crawled on top of him.

On his hands and knees and poised over Byakuya's body, Renji attacked the noble's warm, sweet mouth, his tongue plunging inside and exploring slowly, while the redhead's hand undid Byakuya's yukata and began to explore the fine, soft skin. Byakuya's pale hands and graceful fingers returned the favor, tracing the bold, black lines that decorated Renji's body, then sinking those wanting digits into the redhead's tumbled hair and encouraging him as his hot, feisty mouth left the noble's and began a provocative journey down his lovely, white torso.

"Renji..." Byakuya sighed, closing his eyes and enjoying the heavy pounding of his heart that hastened ever faster as Renji worked his way gradually down ward.

Down a sculpted clavicle, then over a pretty, flushed breast, pausing to tease the erect, pink nipples, then lingering on Byakuya's soft abdomen. His hands slid down onto the noble's creamy thighs and parted them to reveal the most vulnerable parts of himself. Renji nibbled his way gradually up one sweat misted inner thigh, his eyes looking up to meet Byakuya's and reading the happiness and approval there. He took his time working his way towards the noble's blushing and very aroused genitals, watching as rising need appeared in Byakuya's dark orbs and pleaded silently for more. Renji smiled and attacked the noble's nether region amorously, bringing Byakuya swiftly to near senselessness, leaving him reeling under the force of the redhead's intense affections.

"I'm giving you pleasure now, ne?" Renji purred, earning a breathy exclamation of approval.

_I wonder if he'd let me..._

Renji's fingers slid down further and instantly, he felt Byakuya stiffen.

_Yeah, I thought so. He gets really tense being touched there, and except for that time in Inuzuri, he never offers to let me take him. But...I guess I deserve that. After what I did, I guess I can't complain if he doesn't feel like letting me take him._

_It would just be so beautiful to do that once..._

Renji realized suddenly that when Byakuya had tensed, his hands and lips had stopped pleasuring the noble too. Flustered grey eyes found his and studied him questioningly for a moment. Then, the next thing Renji knew, the noble was moving, surging up and moving into position behind him. Renji closed his eyes and groaned wantonly as the noble very slowly and thoroughly prepared him, leaving him panting and sweating all over as Byakuya entered him in gentle, measured thrusts. He paused for a moment and Renji felt hot breath tickle his earlobe.

"I love you, Renji."

_I can feel that...yeah, all the way through my body, I feel it when he says that. And when I hear that, I can't feel anything but love for him too. When I think of how I almost ruined this, I know I have a lot more 'making up' to do. And if he doesn't want me to take him, then that's fine. This way's good too._

_But someday, when I feel like I've really made things up to him..._

Renji's thoughts derailed as Byakuya's hands wrapped around his hips, holding them tightly as the noble began to move. The redhead couldn't do anything, then, but move with him, panting and moaning shamelessly and giving in easily to the heavy, wonderful throbs of orgasm as Byakuya's blinding heat filled him.

They collapsed onto their sides and Byakuya's warm body pressed up against his back, while the noble's hands picked up where they had left off, rubbing Renji's enlarged abdomen and infusing the drowsy redhead with balancing reiatsu. Renji drifted off like that, then slept soundly until he woke some time later to find that Byakuya had carried him back to their bedroom and laid him in bed.

Renji left the bed and walked to the open garden doors, where he looked out and up into the lovely, star-filled sky, feeling all over the lucky person he was to be where he was and with who he was with.

_I still remember being with Masato, and what I remember was that I didn't really have times like these._

He walked out into the gardens, meandering along the trail, continuing to mull things over in his mind.

_Mostly what I felt when I was with Masato was pressure to do what he wanted. He didn't even hide it. There were rules about how I should behave and what I should wear, what I should and shouldn't say to him. With Byakuya, there are rules too, but we both live by them. Byakuya doesn't ask anything of me that he doesn't also do. And when I get overwhelmed by something, he gets why. I didn't grow up a noble, so there are adjustments that I have to make. Byakuya gives me time for that. Masato was never that patient._

Renji barely noticed as he reached the open back gate of the property and followed the path out and into the forest.

_The two don't even come close to each other. I wonder how I could ever have thought Byakuya would be like him. Well, it doesn't matter now. Things are good now. I don't have to worry about being looked down on or mistreated. Byakuya's not like that at all. I feel..._

Renji realized suddenly that something was crunching under his feet, and he paused and squinted down at the ground. A hard jolt passed through his insides.

_I know I was on a trail._

He looked around and could see only trees in every direction.

"Damn! I must've just blundered off the path while I was in my head," he muttered, peering into the darkness and looking for some sign of which way to go, "Great...good going, Abarai."

He listened carefully, expecting that someon would soon realize he was gone and would come for him.

"This is so damned stupid!" he exclaimed softly, sitting down on a fallen tree to think for a moment, "I grew up in the fucking Rukongai, for crap's sake! Why am I even having trouble with this? Is this the pregnancy screwing with my brain or what?"

He sat quietly for a time, rubbing his belly and considering his options.

_I guess the best thing to do is not to go wandering off any further. Yeah, a moving target's going to be harder for them to find. I'll just wait here. It's a little cold, but it's not terrible._

He sat quietly, then, listening to the night sounds and breathing slowly.

_It's kinda pretty out here. It'd be great if Byakuya was here and I could curl up beside him and look up at the moon while he told me some of those old stories. I like the mythology. Growing up in the Rukongai, I got to know the patterns of the stars pretty well, so the myths where there are constellations that go with them are really interesting. And who doesn't love hearing Byakuya's voice telling them. I fall asleep listening to that voice sometimes._

_I really want to hear that voice now. It sucks being stuck out here alone. Well, nothing's going on. I'm not in any real danger, as long as I stay put. Yeah, I'll just stay here and when he comes to bed and finds I'm not there, he'll come and look for me. Unlike me, he doesn't have trouble sensing reiatsu. It won't take him long. I'll just sit right here and..._

Renji's mind froze, mid-thought, as a throbbing pain passed through his distended belly.

"Oh," he groaned, closing his eyes for a moment, "Not now, kid. You are so not going to do this to me now! I'll just...I probably got all unbalanced because I was stressed out, that's all. It isn't...can't be..."

He made a sound of dismay as a stronger, more resonant pain passed through him.

"No way," the redhead panted, "No freaking way! I AM NOT HAVING BYAKUYA KUCHIKI'S BABY ALONE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FUCKING FOREST!"

A stronger pain flashed in his midsection, making him drop to his knees, rubbing his belly and panting harder until he started to feel light-headed.

"Oh come on...come on! This is crazy. This is nuts! Don't do this to me, kid!"

Fresh throbs of panic went through him as he noticed something glowing, then looked down to find it was his stomach.

"Oh no...no way...not here, not like this...fuck, fuck, FUCK!"

His reeling mind registered the dim, distant sound of a familiar voice and he instantly answered.

"BYAKUYA!"

The glow around Renji's belly became blinding but strangely, his vision began to dim. His body tingled fiercely and he felt himself begin to sink to the ground.

_Holy fucking hell._

_Am I gonna die?_

It was even more frightening that he could no longer feel the signs of fear in his body. Everything seemed to fade into grayness and stillness.

_Damn..._

Renji floated in perfect silence, unable to move or to make a sound.

_This is so weird. I've nearly died a couple of times, but I don't remember it being like this. I don't understand. I don't understand what's happening at all._

_I wonder if our baby is okay._

The thought nagged at him as he continued to rest in numbness and increasing calm.

"Renji."

He felt himself inhale and duller pain in his belly.

_Byakuya?_

"You'll be fine now," the noble's voice promised, "but we cannot move you until after the birth. Can you hear me, Renji?"

"Y-yeah," the redhead whispered weakly, trying to open his eyes, "I hear you. How the hell did you find me?"

"At first, we didn't," Byakuya explained, "Your reaitsu is so low right now that I couldn't sense the direction. What possessed you to come out here, Renji?"

"Whoa, hang on! You never said how you found me."

"It was easy enough, once you began calling my name," the noble said off-handedly, "But why were you out here?"

"I don't know!" Renji panted, grunting at a sharp twinge in his belly, "One second I was looking at the stars and walking a little and the next, I was out here. I guess wasn't paying attention. Then I couldn't find my way back. I figured I'd just get more lost if I kept going, so I sat down here. Then, the kid decided it would be a great place to fall out and...here we are."

"Here we are," Byakuya agreed, shaking his head and frowning, "Really Abarai, do you _know_ how to take the easier path on anything?"

"Ah, hell, Byakuya, it's pretty out here...not a bad place to have a kid, right?"

"Renji..."

"I was kidding. Are you sure you can't carry me back?"

"There isn't time. Your abdominal wall has lost cohesion. As soon as Kisuke Urahara arrives, he is going to..."

"Oof!" Renji grunting, panting as his abdomen flashed brightly and, before their eyes, something shining began to emerge, "Oh my god, I don't think the kid wants to wait!"

"So it seems," Byakuya said, his frown deepening.

"Well, what the hell do we do!" Renji yelled, "I'm out in the middle of fucking _nowhere_, having a baby I don't know how to have and without even a healer!"

"Renji, calm down, you aren't going to help things by panicking," the noble chided him.

"W-where the HELL is Kisuke!" Renji howled.

He stiffened and went silent as Byakuya's hands gripped his shoulders and glared into his eyes.

"_He _is not here," the noble said sternly, his commanding tone snapping Renji back from the edges of madness, "but _I _am."

"Do you even know what you're doing?" Renji yelled.

"Not perfectly, but Kisuke did tell me what he was going to do, so I know in theory how to..."

"Oh, he knows _in theory_ how to do this, but...!

"All I really have to do is catch the baby," the noble posited, "_You _need to calm yourself or you will pass out and miss the birth."

"I'd like to have missed the whole fucking pregnancy! This is nuts!"

"You've made your feelings quite clear. Now, be quiet. I have to concentrate."

"What? It's not going to fly out of me like a baseball, right?"

"A...?" Byakuya repeated, "No, of course not."

"Then, why do you need to concentrate?"

"I have to hold the reiatsu in balance as the baby is born."

"Oh...okay, then," Renji panted, "It's fine, right? We're gonna be fine. We're gonna...WHOA!"

Renji gasped and Byakuya's eyes rounded as the reiatsu cluster rose slowly out of Renji's shaking body and Byakuya gathered it into his arms. They looked on breathlessly as the shining golden cluster flickered, then slowly resolved into the body of a tiny baby girl. Both were too stunned to speak as they took in the delicate, fine build, surprising amounts of tousled, red hair and lively grey eyes. The two men paused, their eyes on their daughter and the same thought occurring to both.

"Wren," they said together.

Byakuya and Renji exchanged surprised glances, then broke into warm smiles. The noble looked down into the baby's blinking eyes approvingly.

"Wren...welcome to the Abarai and Kuchiki families," he said softly, kissing her on the forehead, then laying her in Renji's arms.

"Man, she's pretty," Renji sighed sleepily, "I just hope she doesn't start pushing me around and yelling at me all the time like _she_ did."

"Unfortunately for you, I think she will be a spirited child," Byakuya suggested, "But high spirits will be a good thing for dealing with being a young heir."

"Yeah," the redhead agreed.

"What happened? Did I miss anything?" Kisuke panted, rushing up to where the two men and their daughter rested quietly under the tree, "Oh!"

"She seems perfectly healthy and Renji's reiatsu returned to normal within moments of the birth," Byakuya reported.

"Nice work, Captain Kuchiki," Kisuke said, grinning, "An congratulations, guys. Now, what do you say about getting the two of you back to the house?"

Kisuke and Byakuya stood slightly aside as house servants arrived and gently lifted Renji and the girl he held onto a stretcher.

"Hang on, kiddo," the redhead said cheerfully as they started back towards the house.

"Kisuke," Byakuya said quietly, "Have you determined yet if there might be any other odd effects caused by that splitter hollow?"

"I still don't have as much as I need to know to be sure," the shopkeeper admitted, "but we'll keep a sharp eye on the baby and him."

"I don't like there being lingering questions," the noble said, frowning, "But he seems fine for now. I will inform you of any changes...although I hope there won't be any."

"Let's both hope for that," Kisuke agreed, turning with Byakuya to follow the servants carrying Renji.

XXXXXXXXXX

(one month later)

Byakuya felt the bed move and lifted his head off his pillow, looking up as Renji climbed into bed next to him.

"Did she go back to sleep?" he asked drowsily.

"Yeah, she's fine," the redhead assured him, "A few lullabies and a knock over the head...you know, the usual."

"Ah..."

Renji snuggled close to the noble, slipping his hands underneath Byakuya's yukata and teasing his nipples as they kissed.

"Hey, Byakuya?"

"Hmmm?"

"Thanks for the birthday party today. It was a lot of fun."

"I'm glad you enjoyed that."

"I especially enjoyed the kimono you had made for me."

"That's good. I'm glad."

"But, uh...I was kinda wondering. There's something else I was sort of hoping that you would give me."

Byakuya's dark grey eyes fixed on him and blinked slowly. For a moment, the two said nothing and just gazed wordlessly into each other's eyes. Then, Renji felt a jolt the likes of which he never had as the noble gave a barely perceptible nod and slowly parted his thighs.

"R-really?" the redhead managed, swallowing hard, "Are you sure?"

"I wouldn't have offered if I wasn't sure," Byakuya said shortly, "But if you've changed your mind..."

"No way!" Renji shouted, then he bit his lip and looked around, "S-sorry, I mean no, I haven't changed my mind."

"Then, by all means, proceed."

Calm, radiant power flared beneath the calm surfaces of Byakuya's eyes, and his reiatsu burned painfully against Renji's skin as the redhead's fingers began a careful preparation.

_It feels dangerous, just like he is, but I get it. It's like he's reminding me that he's not just any guy. He could kill me if he wanted to so I'll always respect the honor of being with him. Thing is, he respects me too. That's what wasn't in my relationship with Masato._

Renji's thoughts derailed as a blush rose on Byakuya's face and throat and a look of desire came over him. He moved with Renji as the redhead completed the preparation and positioned himself to enter the noble."

"I love you," Renji whispered in his ear, causing a wonderful throb in Byakuya's belly, distracting him so that he hardly felt it when he was penetrated.

_Hot!_ Renji thought, thrusting heedlessly, his mind spinning wildly as he felt Byakuya's body moving with his, _He's so hot inside! I think I'll melt..._

Renji didn't remember ever being with someone who endured so long before surrendering to the lovely jolts and throbs of orgasm. They seemed to writhe against each other forever, pleasure licking at their bodies like flames and bringing them to the edges of sanity.

Renji looked one more time into Byakuya's more feral eyes. loving the loss of control, the ferocity of the man's reiatsu and the feeling like he just might be beginning to be incinerated. He thrust harder and faster, reeling in the beauty of the moment when Byakuya stiffened against him, then fell into the heavy, blinding shudders of release. Unable to hold back anymore, Renji surrendered to, moaning loudly and burying Byakuya's panting mouth in kisses, then both drifting off to sleep with their bodies still joined.

Renji sat bolt upright in the bed some time later as a woman's voice seemed to scream practically in his ear.

"What the fuck?"

He sat up, staring in disbelief at the naked, raven-haired woman in the bed with him and the man on the other side of her.

"No way!" Renji cried, looking from one to the other in dismay, "Not again!"

He looked at the man more closely, frowned, squinted, then made another sound of shock and disbelief.

"What the hell? What are _you _doing here?"


End file.
